GM545

Margam Medieval Bath House  

26/06/2000  

Designated  

Neath Port Talbot  

Margam  

280306  

186925  

Health and Welfare  

Bath House  

Medieval  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument consists of a bath-house, dating to the medieval period. The building is constructed of rubble stone with a vaulted roof and lime-washed walls. The central pool is L-shaped, about 1m in depth with a water inlet and steps leading down into it at the other end. It is located close to Margam Abbey and was part of the abbey estate. The present building was probably built in the 14th or 15th century AD to act as a baptistry for the congregation of the nearby Hen Eglwys. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of Roman/medieval settlement organisation. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques, together with a strong probability of environmental evidence. A bath-house may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.