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The Strata Florida slates
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The Strata Florida slates

  • GB 0210 STRAFLO
  • Fonds
  • [15 cent.]

Thirty-five inscribed slates from Strata Florida Abbey, Cardiganshire, dated to the fifteenth century. Many of the slates are broken fragments with the inscriptions consequently often being incomplete; all are irregular in shape. The inscriptions comprise both text, the majority being in Welsh with examples of Latin and English, and pictures, comprising zoomorphic and anthropomorphic forms, geometric shapes and patterns, as well as other indefinite markings. The majority of the slates are inscribed on one face only, with eleven bearing inscriptions on both sides (SF 1, 3, 5-7, 15, 19, 22, 24, 28-29).
The five slates SF 13-14, 23, 25-26 are all broken fragments of one original slab (along with other still missing sections); with the exception of SF 13 the fragments can be joined up into one larger piece. SF 13-14 and 26 contain parts of a single epitaph, incised in large outline letters, which together appear to read: 'Hic ia[cet] ...es ap ... [a]p ll[ywelyn] [mona]chus'. SF 33 and 35 are also two fragments of a single slate.

Hafodwen Grange accounts

A slate containing an account for Strata Florida's grange of Hafodwen, inscribed with the names of eighteen tenants, fifteen on one side and a further three on the reverse, apparently recording, in 'tr[uggs]', the dues (probably of oats or oatmeal) payable to the abbey; a trugg was a dry measure equivalent to two bushels. Also inscribed on the reverse is a drawing of a man wearing a comb or a crown, with his tongue protruding.
For a transcript see E. D. Jones, 'Ysgriflechi Cymraeg Ystrad Fflur', in Llên Cymru, 1 (1950), 1-6 (p. 2); this however omits the record for one of the tenants, namely 'dd. vyr viij tr.' (third line from the top).

Latin inscription

A slate inscribed on one side with the words 'Davyd Gwynn monachus', written in outline letters, with '... amen' beneath.

Latin epitaph

A slate inscribed on one side with the Latin epitaph 'hic iacet ffrater D[avi]d Gwyn', together with several lines and other markings, including a few possible letter shapes.

Latin epitaph

A slate inscribed on one side with a partial epitaph or pseudo-epitaph 'Hic ia…' and 'ap...', in large outline letters. The letter ‘H’ is particularly decorative, with swirls and shading.
The slate is one of five broken fragments of one original slab, along with SF 14, 23, 25-26; other sections of the epitaph survive on SF 14 and 26.

Latin epitaph

A slate inscribed on one side with a partial epitaph, or pseudo-epitaph, reading '...s', '...[a]p ll', '...chus' in large outline letters. There are also fainter outlines of depictions of animals, possibly deer, hunting dogs, or horses; one has antlers and one is now decapitated.
The slate is one of five broken fragments of one original slab, along with SF 13, 23, 25-26; other sections of the epitaph survive on SF 13 and 26.

Latin inscription

A slate inscribed on one side with a horoscope, being a collection of intersecting lines and symbols inside a rough rectangle. There are also two inscriptions, comprising the line 'pater est vita ffilius e[t] sanct…' written across the horoscope, together with a further illegible line.
On the verso is a further attempt at a horoscope.

Zoomorphic and geometric inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with two zoomorphic sketches, one of which appears to be a dog, together with at least four similar geometric designs, possibly horoscopes. On the reverse face is one other example of the same geometric design.

Anthropomorphic inscription

A slate inscribed on one side with the optical illusion of a human head in profile, showing a different head when inverted. There are also geometric patterns and lines.

Welsh poetry

A slate inscribed on one side with twenty-three lines of Welsh poetry in two columns in the cyhydedd naw ban metre; the second column in particular is imperfect.
For a transcript see E. D. Jones, 'Ysgriflechi Cymraeg Ystrad Fflur', in Llên Cymru, 1 (1950), 1-6 (p. 4). There is a reddish colour to the inscribed side of the slate (dye or chalk, likely applied at NLW for previous exhibitions).

Inscription

A slate inscribed on one side with a few letters, including p, h and s. There is a reddish colour to this side of the slate (dye or chalk, likely applied at NLW for previous exhibitions).

Zoomorphic and geometric inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with a bird, overlain with a zig-zag pattern; a heart with three arrows protruding from the top; and a few letters, possibly 'adr O...'. On the reverse are a fish; a bird's wing; and some geometric lines.

Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with two overlapping images: a horse's head with bridle and the head and torso of a man, apparently standing with hands on hips; together with part of a word ending in '...yn'.
The slate is one of five broken fragments of one original slab, along with SF 13-14, 25-26; the man's legs are to be found on SF 25.

Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with an arm holding a spear; a large stag with antlers; a dog [?possibly attacking the stag]; another dog lying down; a simple interlace cross; two ox heads face on, one under the other; another animal with long ears; and some letters or part of a word. On the reverse are four, broadly parallel, curved lines. A nail hole has been cut through the slate.

Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with a man's lower body and legs, slightly overlapping a stag with antlers, together with some geometric lines and a few letters or part of a word.
The slate is one of five broken fragments of one original slab, along with SF 13-14, 23, 26; the man's head and torso are to be found on SF 23.

Anthropomorphic and geometric inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with a face, a quatrefoil resembling a four-leaf clover, part of a large outline letter 'e' and a variety of other unidentified shapes and scribblings.
The slate is one of five broken fragments of one original slab, along with SF 13-14, 23 and 25; the letter 'e' is part of the epitaph on SF 13-14, with several preceding letters likely to have been lost due to spalling.

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