St David Llanwrtyd

 

St David was the church I had wanted to visit and drove out of Llanwrtd Wells up into the hills to visit. It stands in some really stunning countryside.

"St David Llanwrtyd was the original parish church the village further down the valley came about in the 19th century after the discovery of springs that  brought about the spas that developed in the area. The church was founded in the 6th century  The present building is mainly 14th-century and 16th-century, although parts wererestored in 1861/2 and 1935. The church formerly had a rood screen and loft as is evidenced by the surviving mural stair in the south wall of the nave. The only medieval furnishing in the church is the 14th or 15th-century font.
The church contains a cross-carved grave-marker, probably of the 8th or 9th century"

St David from the car park across road

The path takes you to the church through the churchyard

Looking down hill you see the church is built into the hillside

Looking down on the west end low down is a blocked window

The north side

Looking north west from the east end

Looking south west from the east end

South view of the church, note the small lancet in the section that sticks out slightly

looking north the headstones at the west end of the churchyard

For the size of the church there are an amazing amount of monuments in the churchyard

Here we look east along the south side of the churchyard

 A fenced family plot and headstones at the west end of the church

You cannot help come across chest tombs and fenced family graves in the churchyard

The north side churchyard extends quite away

This monument with the angel on was one which stood out to me

Across the road from the church is the new churchyard for the area

There were some nice headstones there

 

This one really stood out for me

I did not take a photo of the porch outside but this is how it looks inside

With a fare few memorials on the wall of those who wanted to be remembered

Inside the church is quite light, it would need to be as there are no lights other than candles

Looking to the back with a statue in front of a blocked window

from the back looking down the church

Another view of the nave

Inside the chancel

Altar and east window

This has to be one of the nicest altar cloths I've seen in a while

There is even a covering on the lectern

Looking back through the church

Pulpit and one of the candelabras the pulpit looks very Victorian

Giving quite a view of the church

Pictures you can see in the church

A couple of memorials and a picture of the Madonna and Child

Candelabra and a cast iron wood burning heater

Wonderful carving of Saint David

Closer shot of the head and dove

Candelabra in one of the windows and the only one with coloured glass

Organ down the front of the church

The organ and lectern

There is a hand written list of the former priests of the church

Along the south side wall is this entrance

Inside stares leading up, the opening on the side is the one I said to note in a previous picture of the outside. This would have lead to a rood loft but there is nothing to show where it was inside the church, I did think of going up but left it. You can see roof joists at the top so that might have been the exit which looks like it is in the nave over the chancel arch

At the back another organ and a chest

The font which is 14th of 15th century though the base looks later

I would think this 8th or 9th century grave marker is the oldest I have come across

Small statue of St David

I will leave you this photo of the east window and altar cross looking out over the hillside.

Till next time I wish you all a wonderful weekend