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The Strata Florida slates
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Welsh poetry

A slate inscribed on one side with eleven lines of Welsh poetry, seemingly religious in nature, and written in the cywydd metre. The surface of the slate is particularly smooth and clean.
For transcripts see E. D. Jones, 'Ysgriflechi Cymraeg Ystrad Fflur', in Llên Cymru, 1 (1950), 1-6 (p. 5) and E. D. Jones, 'Inscribed Slates from Strata Florida', in Ceredigion, 1 (1950), 103-105 (p. 104).

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).

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).

Welsh poetry

A slate inscribed with ten lines of Welsh poetry on one side and a further ten lines on the reverse. The poetry is written in the cywydd metre, with both lines of the first six couplets written together on the same line.
For a transcript see E. D. Jones, 'Ysgriflechi Cymraeg Ystrad Fflur', in Llên Cymru, 1 (1950), 1-6 (p. 5). There is a reddish colour to both sides (dye or chalk, likely applied at NLW for previous exhibitions).

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.

Knots

A slate inscribed with two knots on one side, one perhaps unfinished, and a third knot on the reverse.

Geometric inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with deeply incised lines forming part of a grid pattern. This slate and the fragment now SF 35 were formerly two parts of a single larger slate. A very similar grid pattern is also found on SF 31.

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.

Latin inscription

A slate inscribed on one side with overlapping Latin inscriptions, of which the phrases '…deo cui nomera erat' and '…gr[atia]m nocis apta[m] dimittere' are legible, together with the name 'rys ap gr'. In addition there are a number of parallel lines inscribed into the slate, with the two longest joined at one end in a curved 'm' shape, and part of a circular pattern. On the reverse are some geometrical patterns.
There is a reddish colour to the written 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 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.

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).

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.

Mitre

A slate inscribed on one side with a drawing of a bishop's mitre; the inscription is unusually deeply incised.

Geometric inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with geometric lines in the shape of a grid, together with some rough and illegible letters, and on the reverse with a few rough marks.

Geometric inscriptions

A slate inscribed on one side with deeply incised lines forming part of a grid pattern. This slate and the fragment now SF 33 were formerly two parts of a single larger slate. A very similar grid pattern is also found on SF 31.

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.

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