THE TALLEY RELICS

There is strong evidence that, at the time of the Dissolution, minor items were given by the Abbot to the Johnes family. They are mentioned several times in journals in the 1800's and were often shown to visitors to Dolaucothi. They are included in the treasures presented to the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society in 1918 and described as follows:

'Relic said to have come from Talley Abbey; an oval silver-backed case with eye for suspension; glazed, and containing a filigree and coloured, crucifix , possibly a 'Tawdrey' from some shrine of pilgrimage, sent to Dolaucothy with the altar piece of the Abbey at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries'

The other is, 'The Monk's spoon' a latten (brasslike alloy) of early English early 16th century make.

Both of these are now in the Carmarthen Museum at Abergwili and referred to as Talley Relics. The altar piece was reputed to be the Elijah Painting.

THE ELIJAH PAINTING

In St. David's Cathedral, near the door of the vestry, there is, on the wall, an Ikon, a religious painting on wood of the Orthodox Church. It shows Elijah seated in front of a cave holding a scroll and being fed by two ravens. In the top corners of the painting are additional episodes of the story of the prophet. It is thought to be 17th century.

The story of how it came to be hung there is a simple one. About sixty years ago a Mr Lloyd-Johnes presented the painting to Bishop Prosser at Abergwili. He told the Bishop that one of his ancestors was given the painting by the Abbot of Talley Abbey, to save it from destruction by the king's soldiers at the time of the Dissolution.

The painting was kept at Dolaucothi until the end of the eighteenth century and was then sent to Hafod in Cardiganshire. Thomas Johnes published a catalogue of his collection at Hafod, a portion of which is preserved in the National Library of Wales and contains the following:
PESARO LIBRARY

Elijah - by one of the very early Greek Painters.
This picture was given, on the Reformation, by the Abbot of Talley, to that branch of Mr Johnes's family, who then resided at Dolaucothi.

After a disastrous fire at Hafod, the painting was thought to have been saved but then sold, with the rest of the estate to the Duke of Newcastle. Mr Lloyd Johnes then bought it at auction and the painting was returned to Dolaucothi. It was given into the custody of the Bishop where Mr Johnes knew it would be hung in a major church in West Wales.

THE ABBEY BELL

At the time of the dismantling of the old Abbey church, the great bell was sold by the churchwardens and overseers of Talley to the Exeter Cathedral Authorities. It remains in that Cathedral and is still reputed to be one of the largest church bells in the kingdom.