The Cistercian Order was established at Citeaux in Burgundy in 1098 because the monks fancied something a little bit more austere than the Benedictine Order could provide. Amazingly by 1155 there were 340 Cistercian monasteries throughout Europe, that includes Britain, of course, because even as early as that we were part of Europe. I think we forget that sometimes! A monastery was established in Whitland in 1140 and that hatched a monastery in Strata Marcella (near Oswestry) in 1170. Strata Marcella in turn hatched Valle Crucis in 1201. Weren't they busy little bees!