Casgliadau Arlein

A tonsured abbot standing in eucharistic vestements upon a corbel, a book held in his left hand, his pastoral staff held by his right hand (crook turned outwards); in field, sin. an estoile above a mullet; dext. the words ET CONVENT appear to have been added to the legend following either the Statute of Carlisle (1307) or the Constitution of Pope Benedict XII (1335), both of which decreed the use of common seals in the Cistercian Order; possibly this abbey (only a small one) did not want to bear the cost of engraving a new seal and so in this way converted it's abbot's seal into it's common seal. Mr.M.Corfield first noticed that this is a gilded matrix, and Susan Laniece and M.S. Tite of the Research Laboratory of the British Museum make this further report : 'The lettering and detail are sharply engraved but show evidence of wear consistent with frequent use. The uppermost star engraved beside the figure appears less worn and it is suggested that this is a later addition. The gilding is visible to the naked eye in many of the recesses, but no traces are present on the flat face of the seal matrix.'