Though very little now remains of the
structure that once was St Baruc’s Chapel on Barry Island, it is an important
part of Barry’s history.
For a start, it’s likely that the place name
Barry is derived from the name Baruc, the Celtic saint who was apparently
buried at the chapel site c. 700AD. The
very good signboard at the site explains:
St Baruc … was a student of St Cadoc who founded the
monastery at Llancarfan, about 7 miles away.
During the Middle Ages a pilgrimage to Baruc’s burial place was considered to be very important. It was claimed that four visits to Barry Island were equal to a visit to Rome.
During the Middle Ages a pilgrimage to Baruc’s burial place was considered to be very important. It was claimed that four visits to Barry Island were equal to a visit to Rome.
There is still a church dedicated to St Baruc
on Barry Island – a short distance away in Phyllis Street – but it’s a
sad-looking modern-blockish monstrosity compared to the old chapel. So, it was
good to read that a service is still held amongst the ancient ruins, once a
year on St Baruc’s Feast Day, 27 September.
According to archaeologists, there have been a
series of constructions on the chapel site. The earliest was probably a simple
wattle structure that would originally have been built over St Baruc’s grave.
Then a single-roomed chapel was built on top of the adjacent burial ground. In
Norman times this was augmented by another building, consisting of a nave and chancel,
and, later still, two-room accommodation for the resident priest was built
adjoining the chapel. The buildings were probably in use until around the 16th century,
before falling into ruins and being covered, over time, by wind-blown sand, as
the signboard also explains:
When John Storrie, archaeologist and curator of Cardiff
Museum, excavated the site in 1894-5, he uncovered the remains of the chapel,
buried under mounds of sand that had blown on to the headland. Some of the
stones used in the chapel were identified as Roman in origin. Storrie found
evidence of wall paintings inside the chapel, a fireplace in the priest’s house
and fragments of a stone coffin which may well have once contained the remains
of Baruc himself.
John Storrie’s dig also discovered a vast cemetery along Friars Road where many thousands of burials have taken place … The extent of the burial ground suggests that this site was very important in the Middle Ages.
John Storrie’s dig also discovered a vast cemetery along Friars Road where many thousands of burials have taken place … The extent of the burial ground suggests that this site was very important in the Middle Ages.
There was once also a holy well, St Baruc’s
Well, very near to the chapel. Pilgrims who believed in the healing properties
of its water would tie rags in the surrounding trees and drop offerings into
the well, in the hope of miraculous cures. Sadly, the well was filled in and covered over with houses in a 1960s development.
If you’re interested in learning more about
the site of St Baruc’s Chapel, here’s a contemporary report on John Storrie’s
excavations from local newspaper, the Barry
Dock News, 4 October 1895:
THE ANTIQUITY OF BARRY ISLAND.
FURTHER IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES OF HISTORIC REMAINS.
A representative of the Barry Dock News has been able, during the past week, to glean valuable additional particulars from different reliable sources as to the success which has attended the work which is being carried on, under the superintendence and personal direction of the celebrated archaeologist, Mr John Storrie, of Cardiff, with regard to the excavation of rare historic remains on Barry Island.
We have already announced that human remains have repeatedly been unearthed on the "Island of St Baruch" during the past two or three months, including complete skeletons of somewhat exceptional proportions.
In addition to this a fine specimen of an old church, well preserved, has likewise been discovered, and the building in connection with this work, representing periods of antiquity dating back at least 1,250 years – at which time Baruch, a hermit of noble birth, from whose name the island takes its designation, flourished – is well known to historians to have existed towards the eastern end of the island, not far from the site at present occupied by Barry Dock.
A gang of men have been placed at Mr Storrie's disposal with a view of rendering the discoveries as complete as possible and of preserving to posterity the reliable history of this famous island. The remains of the chapel have been carefully preserved with due regard to their original position and function, and the whole of the site, together with the place of burial of a large number of bodies, has been enclosed by means of a neat iron railing.
Mr Storrie has likewise turned his attention to other portions of the island, and amongst the historic discoveries which have been made is a most interesting relic of a cyst tomb, consisting of rows of stone placed on edge, covered with rough slabs, within which were the remains of a female occupying that sitting posture peculiar to the Cistercian mode of burial. This cysted tomb was unearthed amongst the excavations which have been made in view of the erection of the harbour pier, and Mr Storrie, in order to carefully preserve this interesting relic, has had it removed and re-erected within the enclosure containing the church remains.
On a spot a little to the north-west of the church has also been discovered a complete tumulus, and an old British kitchen extending at length about forty feet and in the kitchen were found some excellent specimens of Roman and British pottery and other valuable remains, in addition to the skeleton of a shark which possibly once supplied; an important item in the cuisine of this interesting establishment. Close by was also found an old guests' house in a remarkably good state of preservation. This building, it is believed, must have served as an hotel or public house at a very early period in Roman history.
All the portable relics have been carefully removed for preservation, and the
structural remains have been re-covered with sand, but will probably be again
cleared at no distant date when arrangements have been completed for their
permanent preservation. At a point in the direction of the new Marine Hotel – where
a tunnel is being formed to connect the Barry Railway system with the pier at
the dock-head – Mr Storrie has discovered remains of the old monastery, but it
is much to be regretted that most of the masonry had been previously removed,
and the stone used for metalling the new roads which are being made on the
island.
There are still visible, however, near the old farmhouse, pieces of old walling, concrete flooring passages, and what is left of the old monastic well, which, it is understood, was deepened about 25 feet some few years ago, the water at the original level having been dried up owing to the excavations for Barry Dock. When the well was deepened a collection of old coins and other relics were found, but comparatively little attention was paid thereto at the time, and these votive offerings have by this time, therefore, been irrecoverably lost. The earth foundations of the walls of the old monastery, together with the stone-laid passage thereto, are still visible, and the relics of pottery which have been found include mediaeval specimens of about the time of Henry VIII.
At a point direct south of the church, about 260 yards distant from the sacred edifice, is St. Baruch's Well. It is probable that the whole of the remains, which have been arranged with such scholarly taste and judgment by Mr Storrie, will be so preserved by the noble owner of Barry Island, Lord Windsor, that they will afford permanent objects of interest to visitors to the place for centuries to come. At present the island is being visited by hundreds daily, and it is not unreasonable to state that the discoveries which have been made during the past month or two have attracted at least 2,000 persons to Barry Island every Sunday during the fine weather.
It may be interesting to add that there are indications which point to the probability that the historic remains which have already been unearthed represent but a small portion of the antiquated associations which have made this venerable spot so noted throughout the past ages, and Mr Storrie, we understand, is convinced that there still remains to be discovered, somewhere towards the eastern end of the island, an old Roman villa of exceptional interest. As an indication of the degree of pious and devoted regard with which Barry Island has been observed in the past, it may be stated, in addition, that Divine service has been held on the site of the old chapel of St. Baruch at regular intervals up to a few years ago. We are pleased to understand that it is intended to publicly exhibit in the district at the first convenient opportunity the various interesting relics which have been found.
FURTHER IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES OF HISTORIC REMAINS.
A representative of the Barry Dock News has been able, during the past week, to glean valuable additional particulars from different reliable sources as to the success which has attended the work which is being carried on, under the superintendence and personal direction of the celebrated archaeologist, Mr John Storrie, of Cardiff, with regard to the excavation of rare historic remains on Barry Island.
We have already announced that human remains have repeatedly been unearthed on the "Island of St Baruch" during the past two or three months, including complete skeletons of somewhat exceptional proportions.
In addition to this a fine specimen of an old church, well preserved, has likewise been discovered, and the building in connection with this work, representing periods of antiquity dating back at least 1,250 years – at which time Baruch, a hermit of noble birth, from whose name the island takes its designation, flourished – is well known to historians to have existed towards the eastern end of the island, not far from the site at present occupied by Barry Dock.
A gang of men have been placed at Mr Storrie's disposal with a view of rendering the discoveries as complete as possible and of preserving to posterity the reliable history of this famous island. The remains of the chapel have been carefully preserved with due regard to their original position and function, and the whole of the site, together with the place of burial of a large number of bodies, has been enclosed by means of a neat iron railing.
Mr Storrie has likewise turned his attention to other portions of the island, and amongst the historic discoveries which have been made is a most interesting relic of a cyst tomb, consisting of rows of stone placed on edge, covered with rough slabs, within which were the remains of a female occupying that sitting posture peculiar to the Cistercian mode of burial. This cysted tomb was unearthed amongst the excavations which have been made in view of the erection of the harbour pier, and Mr Storrie, in order to carefully preserve this interesting relic, has had it removed and re-erected within the enclosure containing the church remains.
On a spot a little to the north-west of the church has also been discovered a complete tumulus, and an old British kitchen extending at length about forty feet and in the kitchen were found some excellent specimens of Roman and British pottery and other valuable remains, in addition to the skeleton of a shark which possibly once supplied; an important item in the cuisine of this interesting establishment. Close by was also found an old guests' house in a remarkably good state of preservation. This building, it is believed, must have served as an hotel or public house at a very early period in Roman history.
 |
| This reconstruction drawing appears on a signboard at the site |
There are still visible, however, near the old farmhouse, pieces of old walling, concrete flooring passages, and what is left of the old monastic well, which, it is understood, was deepened about 25 feet some few years ago, the water at the original level having been dried up owing to the excavations for Barry Dock. When the well was deepened a collection of old coins and other relics were found, but comparatively little attention was paid thereto at the time, and these votive offerings have by this time, therefore, been irrecoverably lost. The earth foundations of the walls of the old monastery, together with the stone-laid passage thereto, are still visible, and the relics of pottery which have been found include mediaeval specimens of about the time of Henry VIII.
At a point direct south of the church, about 260 yards distant from the sacred edifice, is St. Baruch's Well. It is probable that the whole of the remains, which have been arranged with such scholarly taste and judgment by Mr Storrie, will be so preserved by the noble owner of Barry Island, Lord Windsor, that they will afford permanent objects of interest to visitors to the place for centuries to come. At present the island is being visited by hundreds daily, and it is not unreasonable to state that the discoveries which have been made during the past month or two have attracted at least 2,000 persons to Barry Island every Sunday during the fine weather.
It may be interesting to add that there are indications which point to the probability that the historic remains which have already been unearthed represent but a small portion of the antiquated associations which have made this venerable spot so noted throughout the past ages, and Mr Storrie, we understand, is convinced that there still remains to be discovered, somewhere towards the eastern end of the island, an old Roman villa of exceptional interest. As an indication of the degree of pious and devoted regard with which Barry Island has been observed in the past, it may be stated, in addition, that Divine service has been held on the site of the old chapel of St. Baruch at regular intervals up to a few years ago. We are pleased to understand that it is intended to publicly exhibit in the district at the first convenient opportunity the various interesting relics which have been found.
No comments:
Post a Comment