Paul Sandby visited the Abbey in 1773. Sandby was one of the founders of the Royal Academy, became drawing master to the sons of George III and Gainsborough called him " a man of genius". In the words of the catalogue to the splendid exhibition of his work at the RA in 2010 Sandby "did more than any other artist of the 18th century to awaken British people to the beauties of their own country".
Sandby was travelling in Wales with Sir Joseph Banks who had recently returned from exploring the Pacific and Australia with Captain Thomas Cook. Instead of joining Cook on his second journey he explored Wales in company with Sandy and the botanist Thomas Lightfoot.
Sanby recorded the castles and ruins they passed and later published a series of aquatints from "drawings made on the spot in South Wales" which did much to popularise Wales as a destination for travellers and artists.