This fragile piece of wood is all that remains of an ancient mazer bowl commonly known as the Nanteos Cup.
The exact origin of the Cup is a mystery, but it seems that the relic came into the possession of the Powell family of Nanteos from Strata Florida Abbey during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
According to one tradition, the Nanteos Cup is the Holy Grail, the Cup from which Christ and his disciples drank at the Last Supper. Since the 19th Century it has been claimed that the Cup possesses a supernatural power to heal. The Cup would be lent to the unwell in exchange for a valuable deposit such as a gold watch or coin, as to ensure its safe return to Nanteos.
