The Convent of the Holy Savior was founded in 1256 by a Dominican monk. The cemetery is believed to be connected with the monastery, but often members of the surrounding community are also buried there for a small fee. Until recently, the local Okki White store was located on this site, which closed in 2013 after more than a century of history. Hafriyat is part of an ongoing construction project that will include a grocery store in the future.

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It was considered the city cemetery. It was actively used for many years from the 12th to the 16th centuries – not only monks and monks, but everyone was buried there. It gives an idea about the life of the society,
Says Fran Murphy, who led the excavations at the Dyfed Archaeological Trust.

The monks who lived in the Cathedral of the Holy Savior were known as “black monks” because of the color of their robes, and they became a visible part of the surrounding community, often preaching Catholic teachings in the streets.

Murphy said that among the skeletons found, “the turtles showed signs of trauma, including puncture wounds.” There could be many reasons for this, so it will only be possible to say for sure after further research. Researchers do not rule out that these people may have been victims of the conflict in 1405, when the Welsh warlord Owain Glyndor besieged this area.

Excavation of a medieval cemetery in Wales / Photo by Dyfed Archaeological Trust

Several crypts were also found in the cemetery, one of which contained a skeleton. Archaeologists suggest it may have been a priest.

In her hand she held a pewter glass on a patterned plate, similar to the one used at communion to hold the wafer. This burial specifically shows this person’s profession,
– comments by Fran Murphy.

During the excavations, several ornate floor tiles were discovered that may be the remains of an old church standing in the area. The Church of St Saviour remained active until the 16th century, when the Crown sold the property after a split between King Henry VIII of England and Wales and the Catholic Church.

During the dissolution of the monastery [в 1500-х роках] The church next to it was demolished, but I’m not sure exactly when this happened,
– adds the researcher.

In addition to the cemetery, the territory of the former monastery housed a number of buildings, including dormitories, scriptoria (rooms devoted to writing and manuscripts), stables, and a hospital.