St Afan Llanfechan

I had passed this church a few times seeing it sat back of the road. After working out how to get to it I went along to visit the church. I did think I would find little information on it considering how small the village was but there is a page on Wikipedia.
"The present church dates to a refurbishment in 1866. The church is of typical medieval size and plan and this probably reflects the footprint of its predecessor. The 14th century font inside the church presumably comes from this earlier building. The church stands on an unnatural mound, assumed to be the debris of the earlier church, and within a raised churchyard about 45m across.
It was probably attached originally to the church at Llanafan Fawr ('Llanafan the Greater'), records of both churches during the 18th and 19th centuries show that curates from Llanafan Fawr also served Llanfechan. It was attached to the church at Llanganten by the early 20th century.
St Afan was a 5th or 6th century Welsh bishop, who was usually known as Afan Buallt, indicating a connection with the Buallt area. It is not known where or when he was a bishop, but the name by which he was referred suggests his diocese was around Builth in Brycheiniog with his seat at Llanafan Fawr."

First thing you notice is the churchyard is well kept

The West end with it's singe bell

The East end with a family vault

The porch leading to the church itself

Inside the Church  is a single cell with the altar covered in a white cloth

Near the front on either side you find the pulpit and organ

A vase with foliage is displayed on the organ

On the altar is a single candle and the cloth is covered in droppings indicating that bats roost above

From the pulpit you look down the church to the back

The other way you see the altar

From the entrance you can see the whole church

As youleave you pass the  church font which was under a cover when I visited, I replaced it after the photo 

Back outside at the East end and the family vault, nearby is  tomb covered in old headstones

The vault is it's own fenced off area




Looking South across from the East end of the church

Hidden from view under a Yew tree is another forgotten family vault
not far away you can view another family tomb

Some of the older headstones

a tomb made from stone and showing signs of ivy damage

Headstones with footstones

A couple of older headstones on in a deteriorating state with a more moder one in the foreground

Over of the South West side of the churchyard are the more modern headstones

A cross broken off  and leans over on the base of a family vault

 Looking across the South side of the churchyard to the East end of the church and the older heastones and tombs

I will leave you with this view of the church from across the churchyard and wish you  a pleasent weekend till next time   

Holy Trinity Hermitage

This was the second of the Churches I spotted on the Ordnance Survey Map that I missed before and is only a mile or so away from the Church in Oare I showed last week. I thought the church looked new when I saw it but noticed the date plaque high under the bell dated 1835. Since then it has been reordered and gained an extension on the West end.

From the road you see a white painted church

You enter the churchyard through the above Lychgate and the first thing you see is the extension on the West end

Above it you can see the bell and below the date plaque which reads "Adelade Chapel Founded Anno Domini 1835" the original name

Above the reordered church with extension painted white.

Inside you look down the nave to the chancel

Above the brick chancel arch

The altar and triple East window

The triple window behind the altar and cross behind the altar on the screen

Closer view of the triple window

The centre window of the three

The left and right had of the tree windows of the East end

Looking back to the nave to the extension on the West end

The west end stained glass window

On the north side of the church you can see these two windows

With this inscription on the base of the window

The same on the other window
the commemorate those who gave their lives in World War II

Memorial Rev Philip Alexander Longmore

Memorial to Private Eli James Merritt

Memorials to the Herbert family 

Above the pulpit with the view of the nave you get from it

Three of  the windows you see on the North wall

Memorial to William Frederick Daniel

Memorial to Charles William Merrett

Inside the extension which is the church rooms

one corner stands the eagle lectern
with an inscription on the base

Some one spend a while carving this

You can see photos of the original chapel and the person who it was named after

On the West wall either side of the window is a photo of the queen and the lady the chapel was named after

Coming out gives this view down the nave

The British legion flag and below the church font

The carved font cover with the church in the Background

Outside the churchyard is quite large

The centre dominated by this cross

This is the village war memorial listing the fallen from the two world wars

Walking around the churchyard you can see the older headstones

Along with the odd cast iron maker and tomb

The churchyard is well kept

Looking over towards the east entrance

The grave of Sergeant A.E.Sheperd 

These headstones are near the East end of the churchyard

Turn around and you see across the churchyard to the West Entrance

This plaque lists the men who served during the first world war and returned home safely

You look from here towards the war memorial

You leave the churchyard through the East entrance which I passed many times and never realised what was beyond .

Till Next Time 

May you have a Peaceful Weekend