Llanlleonfel Church

 

Finding this church could be a little hard as it is easy to miss and there is no sign telling you where it is. The church is not far from Garth and when you find it you are treated to an amazing view of the surrounding countryside. There is not much history to this church on Wikipedia but I did find this on the CPAT website

"Possibly this is an early medieval foundation though the evidence is far from conclusive.It does not appear in the medieval Taxatios but is recorded as 'Llanlloenvell' in the Episcopal Register for St Davids in 1513.It has been suggested that an earlier church dated from the 16thC and was progressively restored by the Gwynne family from about 1712, being used by them until the end of the 18thC. But Sir Stephen Glynne in 1867 and Francis Kilvert in 1873 both recorded that the church was ruinous, "..a most deplorable object" (Glynne) and "...the only occupants being several white owls" (Kilvert). Glynne did record it as an undivided nave and chancel, a debased wooden screen of three-arched compartments, and a wooden bellcote over the west end, but with "literally no architectural feature deserving the name". The windows were modern with wooden mullions. The porch had been destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1876 by R. J. Withers, with a bell turret over the centre of the church, but this was later moved to the west end"

The south side of the church, it stands in a circular clearing

When you walk in the churchyard the north side is the first part of the church you see

West end with two bells

South west end with the porch

Around to the east end

South east view of the church

Looking towards the west side of the churchyard where a lot of graves are

The graves are not of a great age , most dating back to the 1800's

Selection of monuments and headstones

A chest tomb over near the trees

A lot of the graves now forgotten about

There are some newer family graves

This one I could not tell you how old it was as there is no name on it

Looking over towards the east from the west end of the churchyard

The porch with shut gates

The place is open though and looks very tidy and looked after

Closer to the chancel

The chancel towards the altar

Altar and east windows

Very nicely dressed altar

Looking towards the back of the church

Collage of the three east windows

Over to the south side is this beautiful modern window

It is quite beautiful and must shine when the sun come through

The pulpit

Looking down in the pews

I could not say what this is beside the lectern

There is a faded inscription on it

You can see the inscription 

 

This is what is written on it

The banner is wearing a little

I have come across John Wesley visiting churches before

The church with central spire, I think I read it was moved because the roof would not take the weight. The third bell is at the back of the nave

Kilvert seems to get around everywhere

Painting of the annunciation

Choir stalls

 

The organ looks newer 

View across the altar

The font which looks Victorian

I will leave you with this photo of the bible on the altar with the church in the background.

Till next time I wish you all a wonderful weekend