This week the Church Explorer is back in Wales at St Bilo Llanfilo which I noticed in the distance as we drove past. It's about half an hour from were we stay in our caravan. After checking it out and seeing the inside it was a must for me to visit. Rather than cut and past the history there is a Wiki link above will tell you more
The church as you come through the lychgate
The lychgate which has some history to it as well being built between 1680 &1700
Looking from the south west
The bell tower
North west side
Blocked north door, beside an outcrop on the church you will see why inside
South side chancel end with priest door
East end with old memorials on the outside
Looking back to the lychgate
South view
Tomb and headstones, the tomb is unusual in that it has a cross on it
Obelisk monument
Looking across the churchyard past the lychgate
Taller obelisk monument
There are a lot of memorials on the church exterior
Some words are eroded these ones still readable
South side view
East end of the church some headstones defy gravity
collage of the churchyard
In the porch and the entrance
Top carved stone on the east wall and what look like pilgrim marks on the door pillar
First view in the church
Looking down the nave and the reason I came to the church
When I spotted the screen I had to come and visit
It was not the only thing I spotted when I look on line, I could see it was a rood loft
Inside the chancel
Altar rails and altar
Nothing elaborate about the altar just a simple table
Altar cross in front of the east window
Back of the rood screen
Lectern and monks chair table, if you look at the pew on the left you can see 16 on it I missed seeing this as it reads 1630
Pulpit dates from 1685
View from the pulpit
The rood loft
It is medieval and beautifully carved
One the wall behind the loft is the rood
I have to assume it is of the same age as the loft
The center figure in the loft is the Virgin Mary and child
Along ether side of the Virgin Mary are other saints
The underneath of the roodloft
Which is also richly decorated with carved bosses
Through the screen
Carvings on the rood screen, I looked for the dragon
The Angelus bell which is thought to be the oldest in the county cast in Worcester in 1410
Bible box on legs
Priests chair
Church chest
Can't find anything on this tomb in the chancel
I do like the face the old pews are still in place though I did miss the fact on the opposite side are six Jacobean pews with a date of 1630 carved on them
Carving on the lectern
The door takes you to the rood stairs which is the outcrop you saw on the outside of the church
The door is carved with the men who served in both wars, the top has the names in gold lettering listing the men who died in WWI
The memorial was not what I took the photo is was the carved wood under it which looks old
There are a lot of memorials on the walls of the church
Some of them clearer than others
The memorial is to John and Magdalene Williams
I liked how simple it looked
It would take a while to look around all the memorials in the church
Most are around the 17-1800s but one is dated 1642
The altar and east window with memorials either side
Arch leading to the tower base, the ladder takes you to the bell loft
The organ looks out of place being quite modern compared to the rest of the church
This is a school room tortoise stove
It's in Welsh if you can read it
The font which I think is superb believed to be Celtic dated around 900-1000AD
The beautiful floral display on the font
I read what it says on the chair and it is to commemorate the life of Kirsty Jones
A simple verse fading of a wall plaque
I will leave you with is photo of a vase of Sunflowers which is a fitting tribute to the lady who's commemorative chair is nearby as she loved sunflowers.
As a passing note 40 years ago Live Aid was on in Wembley and Philadelphia. I spent all day watching, it's being shown on BBC tonight but did it change anything, it does not seem so
Till next time may I wish you all a peaceful week
