The ruins of the Cistercian abbey at Tintern lie between the River Wye and the A466 road at the southern end of Tintern village. The Abbey was the first Cistercian foundation in Wales and the second in Britian and it was founded on 9 May 1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow.

Between 1270 and 1301 the abbey was rebuilt and housed around 400 monks, and continued to operate until the dissolution of the abbeys under Henry VIII in 1536.