Facelift for Tintern Abbey

The abbey marks the foundation of the Cistercians

A team of stonemasons has begun work on a major conservation programme at one of Britain's most famous monastic sites.

Nearly 500 years old, Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley, south Wales, is undergoing a project of work to repair and restore damaged and eroded stonework.

Craftsmen will restore damaged stonework

Founded by Cistercian monks in the 12th Century, Tintern was the first abbey of its kind to be built in Wales.

It was also the first great medieval monument in the UK to be brought into state care almost 100 years ago.

The site is now the responsibility of heritage body Cadw, Welsh Historic Monuments, and the Welsh Assembly agency responsible for Welsh-built heritage.

"The whole movement of the Cistercians in the middle ages began here in the 12th Century," said Frank Olding of Cadw.

Work will concentrate on the abbey's windows

The team of masons will be mainly concentrating on restoring the south aisle of the abbey and repairing the building's signature 12 arched windows.

"If no restoration work was done, the monument would fall into further decay and the public would not to be able to come in," explained stonemason Alan Cornish.

"Some of the work we're doing is about 65ft up in the air. If you have falling masonry from that hat, the structure would be totally unsafe."

It is predicted that the work will take two years to complete.