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‘Keep your grubby mitts off’: English Heritage ribbed after posting picture of Wales

04 Oct 2021 2 minute read
Tintern Abbey. Picture by Saffron Blaze (CC BY-SA 3.0).

English Heritage have been ribbed by social media followers after posting a picture of Tintern Abbey in Wales.

A picture of the Monmouthshire monastery was posted on social media by the charity that manages many of England’s historic monuments, buildings and places.

The caption said: “Snapped looking west from Offa’s Dyke towards Tintern Abbey, the banks of the River Wye and the sweeping valley is a view to behold.”

Followers were however quick to point out that ‘west from Offa’s Dyke’ was actually Wales, and that Tintern Abbey was under the care of Wales’ historic environment service Cadw.

The abbey, known as Abaty Tyndyrn in Welsh, sits on the bank of the River Wye, which forms the border between Wales and Gloucestershire in England. It was founded in 1131 but fell into ruin with the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century.

 

“West from Offa’s Dyke is Wales,” Alyn Davies said. “But I honestly can’t say I expect better from ‘east of Offa Dyke Heritage’.”

Jac Jones responded: “Umm… You’ll find that’s Welsh heritage. But thanks for acknowledging Wales’ beauty.”

“Keep your grubby mitts off. That’s Wales!” Claire Hopkin said. “Gorgeous isn’t it, but no, you can’t have it…”

“Someone needs to send you guys a map showing borders and stuff,” Paul Sambrook said.

“Seems English covetousness towards other countries and their heritage remains undiminished as they seek to appropriate Welsh Heritage sites,” Gareth Parry said.

Chris Formaggia was more diplomatic: “Thank you for advertising this Cadw site and we look forward to welcoming you to Wales.”


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CapM
CapM
3 years ago

Don’t be silly.
Either the view of Tintern was knowingly appropriated in an attempt to imply that it is part of England’s heritage or those involved didn’t know it wasn’t part of England’s heritage. Or perhaps they didn’t think it important to point out that the abbey is in Cymru.

Probably only someone with a “brain-rotting disease” – STS (Sad Troll Syndrome) perhaps could image that anyone would think that English Heritage were involved with an abbey grab!

CapM
CapM
3 years ago

That photo English Heritage used looks like it might well have been taken from the path that runs east of the river and to the west of Offa’s Dyke. Maybe English Heritage are even more geographically challenged than previously thought.

Paul
Paul
3 years ago
Reply to  CapM

The photo was taken from Devil’s Pulpit, which is on the Offa’s dyke path.

Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
3 years ago
Reply to  Paul

I love that spot among the yews and it is very much in Gloshire and Vorest o Dean.
Just down below the abbey on the riverbank is a mad jungle of buddleia and in bloom on a sunny day, walking through it releases clouds of butterflies.

CapM
CapM
3 years ago
Reply to  Paul

But at that point is the Offa’s Dyke Path on the actual dyke or running to the west of it?

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
3 years ago

You remember Will Renwick, the guy mentioned on here a week ago running the crooked spine of Wales? Well 11 am this morning Miss Bassey should be belting out a verse of ‘Climb Every Mountain’ as Will Renwick crosses the Conwy finish line…hats off to you Will !

Last edited 3 years ago by Mab Meirion
Mawkernewek
3 years ago

Surely its name is “Abaty Tyndyrn”, and it is known as ‘Tintern Abbey’ in English?

Dim problem
Dim problem
3 years ago
Reply to  Mawkernewek

An English heritage charity tweeted in English??

Stuart Cane
Stuart Cane
3 years ago
Reply to  Mawkernewek

Mae’n abaty ffrangeg felly “Abbaye de Tintern” fallai?

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
3 years ago

A) It isn’t under their care.
B) They pretended it was in England
C) They never even mentioned it was in Wales a different country
D) You are a sad little Saes troll and giving yourself a Welsh name doesn’t hide the fact.

This is like us telling everyone Stonehenge is in Wales, its total BS.

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
3 years ago

Now THIS is cultural appropriation. Is there anything of ours they won’t steal?

CJPh
CJPh
3 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

Bara Lawr…

Dim problem
Dim problem
3 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

How have they stolen it? They literally just posted a picture and said “look at this lovely place”.

We had an article the other day where some Welsh geographer wanted Wales to be able to steal English mountains that were along the border. Everyone on here seemed keen on that. But English Heritage can’t post a picture of an Abbey that sits right on the border?

Dim problem
Dim problem
3 years ago
Reply to  Dim problem

P.S Tintern Abbey was founded by Water de Clare, an Anglo-Norman nobleman, as a Cistercian abbey, bringing colonial Catholicism to Wales. Isn’t this the kind of heritage the Nationalists are always trying to disown?

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
3 years ago
Reply to  Dim problem

A) You are an English nationalist.And B) It’s in Wales regardless of who built it.

George Bodley
George Bodley
3 years ago
Reply to  Dim problem

You sound like an English Nationalist

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
3 years ago
Reply to  Dim problem

Hey Saes, what happened to your other comment whining about Welsh nationalists and you crying about people complaining, but as soon as I criticise your overlords you quickly become the nationalist for the English with your fake Welsh name?. Tell me why they didn’t mention it was in Wales and gave the impression it is under their stewardship? That is cultural appropriation. If I said Stonehenge was in Wales, you would be whining on behalf of your fellow countrymen. Am I right Saes?

Dim problem
Dim problem
3 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

Oh GW, you’re so filled with anger! And you know nothing about me! I’m no English Nationalist, not least because I’m Welsh.

You just can’t handle someone not agreeing with your weird worldview, so try to diminish my opinions by trying to invent a fake identity for me.

Sad.

GW Atkinson
GW Atkinson
3 years ago
Reply to  Dim problem

You keep that pretence up Saes.

Alex
Alex
3 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

You 2 should meet up and sort this the way Welsh boys do in Townhill. Who cares about something the English built to control us

Dim problem
Dim problem
3 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

I’m starting to wonder if you’re even Welsh, or if this is just projection…

It’s really sad that you’re so filled with hate, GW. Please try and find some inner peace in your life. Being filled with this much anger can’t be good for your health.

Rhosddu
Rhosddu
3 years ago
Reply to  Dim problem

There was no reason why a Norman abbey in Wales, run by Cadw, should have appeared on an English Heritage website. They did give the impression to the uninformed, and to foreign visitors, that it’s run by them, and they chose to ommit the fact that it’s not in England.

George Bodley
George Bodley
3 years ago
Reply to  GW Atkinson

They tried and failed to steal our history and alter it

Eugene McCarthy
3 years ago

Of course it is in Wales.
Its full beauty was when it was used for its intension as a place of worship.
But then wasn’t it converted to a ruin by the English
during the 17th Century by successive Parliaments.

George Bodley
George Bodley
3 years ago

English heritage idiots

Jack
Jack
3 years ago

When I clicked on this headline I thought that English Heritage had claimed ownership on Tintern Abbey. Turns out they did nothing of the sort, they just tweeted about how nice the view into Wales looks.

I agree it would have been nice if they’d acknowledged Wales, but anyone being offended by this really needs to get some perspective. Disappointing to see Nation.Cymru resorting to clickbait tbh.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
3 years ago
Reply to  Jack

With due respect. English Heritage gave no impression the vista taken was of Wales other than mentioning Tintern Abbey by name and the adjacent Wye . If so would have indicated so in their tweet. Very cynical.

It was likely done deliberately as they knew this would raise eyebrows in Wales. And any clickbate done was by them not Nation Cymru.

Last edited 3 years ago by Y Cymro
Y Cymro
Y Cymro
3 years ago

More appropriation of our land & history. Sadly Tintern complete with its beautiful illuminated windows was still a functioning Abbey until that that obese terrorist Henry VIII & thugs ransacked and destroyed it sometime between 1536 & 1541 with his Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Mr. Kevin J. Pople
Mr. Kevin J. Pople
3 years ago

It’s an even worse story in Kernow/Cornwall! Our poor Cornish cousins! 🙁 Cymru Am Byth! Kernow Bys Vyken! x

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
3 years ago

That’s quite true. I sometimes wonder what unique Cornish texts were lost from Glasney College thanks to King Henry the Fat Pig.

Dave Halligan
Dave Halligan
3 years ago

There is nothing in the caption to the photo that is factually incorrect. There is no claim that Tintern is in England. The border and the Wye are part of English heritage as well as Welsh heritage. Further, when the abbey was built, I believe that there was no such entity as Wales and there would have been no concern over it being English or Welsh.

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