Heraldic escutcheons sculpted in stone, circa 1550, inserted in the Garden Wall at Rhyd Hir Court (Courtrhydhir / Cwrt-rhydhir) (Longford Court ?), between Duffryn and Neath Abbey, Glamorgan, Wales, sometime seat of the Price family of Briton Ferry. Possibly erected by William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1501–1570) KG, the latest of the 4 men commemorated, also the only one descended from the Cradock family of Candleston Castle, Glamorgan, whose arms also appear. Was it originally part of a monument in Neath Abbey? Now in Neath Museum (See photograph[1]), described as "Heraldic fireplace lintel probably from Neath Abbey Mansion reused at Longford Court, recorded in situ before removal to Neath Museum" (coflein.gov.uk ref: 3060 [2]). Text from: [3]: Cwrt Rhydhir (Longford Court) was originally a grange or farm of Neath Abbey. After the Dissolution it had been occupied by the Cradocks and later by Dr. Plumb, manager of the Mines Royal Copper Works. Eventually it was demolished and replaced by flats which, since 1979 has become a residential home run by the South Wales Autistic Society. Text from: [4]

Plans to demolish a 17th century Neath Abbey mansion were due be discussed as the Guardian went to press. Back in September last year, we reported that historians and householders had been outspoken in their criticism of the plans for Longford Court at a special public meeting. The National Autistic Society Cymru (NAS), which owns the building, wants to build two new modern homes to rehouse its inpatients and sell off the two-acre ground on which the mansion now stands. Local historian Robert King of Abergarwed and his daughter Margaret, who lives near the mansion, told the Guardian in September they were shocked at the proposals. He said 'We're resisting this like mad. It is one of only two old mansions left in Neath. 'The NAS says it can't afford to maintain it and wants to build two new homes on the site, knock the mansion down and sell the precious land to a developer. 'We don't have a problem with them building two new houses as long as they don't knock the mansion down.' NAS has provided care for people with autism at Longford Court since 1998. An NAS spokeswoman said at the time: 'The present building will be demolished as part of the development of the service. 'The NAS may seek to dispose of this land in the future. 'Any land disposal will be subject to covenants that will be placed over any sale agreement to ensure the acquirer is limited in what they can do with the land so that it does not interfere with the quality of life of our service users in the registered accommodation, and their neighbours.' She said any profit from the sale of the land would go back into the charity.

Text from: [5]: The Neath Abbey grange of Cwrt Herbert at a point opposite the grassy traffic roundabout known locally as the "Cwrt Herbert" roundabout. Here, at a site now occupied by a small wood and a cement works, the local historian, the late George Eaton, believed he had discovered a wooden motte and bailey Norman castle. Documentary evidence of this is contained in the Charter of Neath Abbey which says, "The Abbey was built on the site where Sir Richard Grenville's castle once stood". Remains of a man-made mound can still be seen there and the Commission for Ancient Monuments has confirmed that all the evidence points to this mound being the site of the "old castle", built probably between 1090 and about 1095 (so it pre-dated the Grenville castle built in Neath town later). On the opposite side of the main road behind the pond at the entrance to the Cwrt Herbert estate, we come to a six-foot high standing burial stone of a monk. It is known as the Monk's Stone and has a large cross incised on it. He may have worked at the Abbey's sheep folds on the Cwrt Herbert grange. In the early 19th Century Cwrt Herbert mansion, which once stood here, was associated with the famous Captain Rees Gronw, a Guards' officer at the battle of Waterloo, M.P., gambler, and dandy, who as a boy escorted the poet Robert Southey on an unsuccessful house-hunting excursion up the Vale of Neath.

Heraldry

A view of four coats of arms above an archway, circa 1550. Four shields, left to right:

• 1: Argent, a chevron between three Cornish choughs sable (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.1006 "Thomas tempore King Henry VII") Sir w:Rhys ap Thomas KG (1449–1525) of Carew Castle, Pembrokeshire, was a Welsh soldier and landholder who rose to prominence during the Wars of the Roses, and was instrumental in the victory of Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth. He remained a faithful supporter of Henry and was rewarded with lands and offices in South Wales. Some sources claim that he personally delivered the death blow to King Richard III at Bosworth with his poleaxe (circumscribed by the Garter). Here the choughs face each other, possibly in exercise of w:heraldic courtesy.
• 2: Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester (c.1460-1526), KG (circumscribed by the Garter), the legitimised bastard son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset, by his mistress Joan Hill.
• 3: Arms of Herbert of Ewyas, Herefordshire: Per pale azure and gules, three lions rampant argent differenced by a bordure componée gules bezantée and or. William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1501–1570) KG (circumscribed by the Garter). He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1549, dating evidence.
• 4: Arms of Cradock of Candleston Castle, Glamorgan: Azure, three boar's heads couped between nine cross-crosslets or. Matthew Cradock ap Richard (1468-1531) (?) of Candleston Castle, Glamorgan, was the maternal grandfather of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1501–1570) KG. Margaret Cradock was a daughter of Sir Matthew Cradock of Swansea and of Alice (or Jane) Mancell, widow of John Malefant. Sir Matthew Cradock was receiver of Glamorgan, through whom Candleston Castle passed to his daughter Margaret Cradock and Richard Herbert of Ewyas, Herefordshire, parents of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke