The Lease elapsed in 2014, leaving the Abbey Church to be reclaimed by nature and making public access difficult. In June 2019, a new rolling Lease was agreed by Whitland Town Council. However, the Lease was surrendered in 2021.

In September 2021, a new rolling Lease was agreed between Menevia Diocese and Cymdeithas Genedlaethol Hywel Dda, who are working in partnership with a group known as The Whitland Abbey Volunteers.

While good progress has been made on promoting the history of the site, work on site clearance had been thwarted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Abbey is a CADW Scheduled Monument, so we have also had to agree to strict guidance of how the work is to be carried out.

One aspect of site maintenance agreed to by CADW, is the periodic grazing of sheep to reduce the length of the grass. This has already taken place.

Nature’s lawn mowers – cutting the Abbey Church grass

The group of Abbey volunteers, working with Cymdeithas Genedlaethol Hywel Dda, are working hard to make the site accessible to all, and also are starting to put together events to raise awareness of this unique site.  It is hoped that the Abbey Church will once again resemble how it looked on the 4th October 1996.

THE FUTURE OF WHITLAND ABBEY CHURCH IS LOOKING BRIGHT AGAIN.

Whitland Abbey Church in the future?