Tithe Barn

Southeast Wales


The large blocky building next to the church is the former abbey's 12th-century tithe barn, the place where people brought their obligatory contributions to the church, usually 10% of whatever they produced. This particular one has had a chequered history (it was a 17th-century theatre and a 20th-century disco, among other things) but it has now been fully restored and converted into a heritage centre and a food hall focusing on locally sourced Welsh products.

Pride of place goes to the Abergavenny Tapestry, produced by over 60 local volunteers over six years to mark the new millennium. Within its 8m width it depicts the history of the town; look for faint messages from the stitchers in the borders. Elsewhere on this floor a combination of artefacts and touch-screen monitors tells the story of the town and the abbey in an excellent interactive display.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Southeast Wales attractions

1. St Mary's Priory Church

0.02 MILES

Although you wouldn't guess it from the outside, this large stone church has been described as the 'Westminster Abbey of South Wales' because of the…

2. Abergavenny Museum & Castle

0.14 MILES

Abergavenny castle's keep was converted into a hunting lodge during the Victorian era and now houses a small museum. It tells the history of the castle…

3. Sugarloaf Vineyards

1.42 MILES

Established in 1992, this vineyard on the northwestern edge of town produces a variety of white and red wines, including an award-winning sparkling. You…

4. Blorenge

1.96 MILES

Of the three mountains encircling Abergavenny, Blorenge (561m) is the closest to town – the round trip is only 5 miles – but it is a steep and strenuous…

5. Ysgyryd Fawr

3.19 MILES

Of the glacially sculpted hills that surround Abergavenny, Skirrid (486m) is the most dramatic looking and has a history to match. A cleft in the rock…

6. Blaenavon Ironworks

4.38 MILES

When it was completed in 1789, this ironworks was among the most advanced in the world. Today the site is one of the best preserved of all its Industrial…

7. Blaenavon World Heritage Centre

4.52 MILES

Housed in an artfully converted old school, this centre contains a cafe, a tourist office, a gallery, a gift shop and, more importantly, excellent…

8. Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway

5.03 MILES

Built to haul coal and passengers, this railway has been restored by local volunteers, allowing you to catch a train from the town centre to Furnace…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "wales/mid-wales/abergavenny-y-fenni/attractions/tithe-barn/a/poi-sig/1344019/360959",
      "destination": "Southeast-Wales",
      "continent": "Europe",
      "country": "Wales",
      "region": "Southeast-Wales",
      "position": "superzone"
    }