Houelt Cross

Inside Llantwit Major Church is this fine Celtic Cross with a disc head.
'The disc has a cross with square ends and a central square, with diagonal patterning, and a ring whose arcs have a twist decoration.'

Carved from one piece of stone this a very precise work of art. It is truly beautiful but lacks the charm of the cartwheel stones in Margam museum

Stones Museum, Margam

Cross of Cynfelin in background, cart wheel crosses on left

Set on two levels in an old school, the stones museum at Margam is a collection of inscribed and sculptured stones from the area between Port talbot and Bridgend. They range from a Roman milestone to a Tudor tomb-cover, but the highlight, seen here at the back, is the tenth century Cross of Cynfelin.
My favourites however were two of the wheel crosses called Ilci and Ilquici which for a time served as a footbridge over a stream.

Ilci and Ilquici

 Although its lovely to see all these stones together and admire the skill and ingenuity of their creators part of me(the romantic bit) would still like to 'discover' them forming part of another structure or perhaps just visible beneath a tangle of brambles, preferably covered in a layer of  lichen.

They are all truly beautiful objects because they are irregular and imperfect. This is demonstrated by this wonderful cart wheel cross originally from near the railway station in Port Talbot.

Cartwheel cross

  Its not exactly round so it wouldn't make a very good wheel but it is definitely a cart wheel and it fits the stone its on and its the best part of a thousand years old. What more could you want from any sculpture?

Ewenny Priory Church

Nave with pulpitum screen. Stained glass by Alexander Beleschenko 2006

I always forget how much I like the proportions used by the Normans until I come across a place like this.  The solidity of the round pillars and the curve of the arches combined with the simplicity of the decoration create a sublime aesthetic. It makes gothic look old and fussy while this feels (ironically) modern.

The Priory Church is well documented and there is an excellent guide book for sale by Philip Morris. Complete with plans, old and new photos, as well as the painting of the south transept by Turner this publication is a very well thought out and pleasing guide. Ewenny was a Benedictine Priory founded '..as a daughter house of St. Peter's Abbey, Gloucester (now Gloucester Cathedral)..'(Morris p5). The church would have served both the monks who used the presbytery and transepts while local parishioners worshipped in the nave. Following dissolution while the monastic parts of the Priory changed hands and were allowed to fall into disuse, the nave remained as the local parish church. 'The Priory passed by marriage in the 18th century to the Picton-Turbervill family, who still own the  monastic end, though in the guardianship of CADW,...The nave is in the possession of the Church in  Wales and is still used as the parish church of Ewenny. (Morris p8)

Tomb slab of Maurice de Londres

The south transept holds a collection of stone carvings including the 'Beautiful and well-preserved tomb-slab..' of Maurice de Londres 'Foliate cross in relief, stiff-leaf on the chamfered edge and the crisply incised inscription in French: Here lies Maurice de Londres, the founder.May God reward him for  his labour.''(Newman p346). Contrasting bravely with these ancient sculptures is the modern stained glass by Beleschenko, '..the highly - acclaimed Swansea- based international artist..' (Morris p13)

Welsh St. Donats

Welsh St Donats

An attractive small church with solid tower in a very large graveyard. The church is accessed through the village, and there is a farm and farmland adjacent. The tower is battered in the lower half and appears to widen towards the top half with its large corbelled battlements, so that it appears almost curved with a slight waist. The church was locked on my visit.

The church was restored in 1891 and interestingly this is the date stamped into the entrance gate. Other evidence of the restoration work is in the replacement windows such as this one on the south side of the nave.

1891 Three light window

Other more recent work includes re pointing work on the tower which has been done using lime mortar in its lower half. The older mortar above gives the tower a distinctive two tone appearance.

Recent pointing below string course

Pendoylan Church

View of church from SE, cottages of 1817 in background

Much restored in 1855 and tower rebuilt in 1893. The church is situated next to the main road in a large church yard with 2 large yews. Evidence of older church in chancel arch with '..characteristic late Perp imposts, alternating shafts and hollows under an embattled cap.' Newman,J. 1995, p500

Late perpendicular impost to chancel arch

1855 foliage corbel, each one is different

Contrast this with the corbel foliage carving of 1855.

Pendoylan information sheet

Llanblethian Church

Three staged tower with diagonal buttresses

On the southern outskirts of Cowbridge this church commands a fine position over the village of Llanblethian across the valley from Quentin's Castle. The tower dates from 1477 and is well proportioned and striking.

The church guide says 'The pulpit which was installed in 1896 as part of the church restoration is of an unusual design (and not to everybody's liking). It is made from Penarth alabaster, red Forest Of Dean stone and Quarella stone from Bridgend. The columns are of red Irish marble.'

Fowler designed pulpit

In contrast to this is a plain medieval tub shaped font, '..solidly carved in Sutton stone.'

Medieval tub font

As well as these there are anumber of other fine stone carvings including figures adorning the corbels of the tower entrance from the nave and a lovely cherub head on a monument in the porch.

Corbel sculpture

Corbel sculpture

Angel head in porch

 Also in the churchyard to the north a monument with 'Gill-like. Stylized trees...' Newman,J(1995)p372

Oak leaf pattern on head stone 1943

Llanfrynach Church(Near Cowbridge, Glamorgan)



General view of church with ascending large sycamores

This church is a hidden gem nestled in a hollow behind tall trees immediately to the west of Cowbridge. There are no other buildings nearby and can be accessed either by a sunken lane or public footpaths. There is only one recently planted yew and much of the churchyard is taken up by wet grassland with scrubby trees. Along the boundaries of the large grounds are some magnificent sycamores as well  as oak and ash.

The Pevsner guide says this gives 'an unusually good idea of an un- Victorianized medieval village church' (p382).  What drew my attention however was the stout tower, in contrast to the slender buttressed one at nearby Llanblethian, and the very fine slate roofing. The west side of the tower has particular charm with its worn, rounded stone and carved tablets of various dates. 

Stone tablets and window detail of West tower

Fine roof of graded small slates as well as detail of timber construction and hood moulding with spandrels

West tower showing put logs, belfry window mouldings, string mouldings and corbelled parapet

According to the information panel on site the church was originally twelth century and the chancel arch and continuous stone benches lining the nave are of this date. Apparently the original village that was here was wiped out by the black death and it served the village of Penllyn, more than a mile away.

Quote from Newman, John.1995,'Glamorgan. The Buildings of Wales. Pevsner Architectural Guides' Yale University Press