Today we had to go out (beyond Llandrindod Wells - known by the locals as "Llandod") to go and pick up a replacement UV bulb for the water system, and a spare filter (we have one spare, but as we were there, it made sense to get another as the spare one here is about to be used). The bulb lasts a year, the filter 3-6 mths. The water here is not spring water, as it was at the old house, but from a holding system which have not had sight of yet - we suspect it is a lake! judging by the amount of mud in the filtration system . . . Anyway, the UV kills any bugs and we have been boiling all the water (as advised by vendor with stick-on label over the tap!!)
Tam came with me, and we navigated across country (by far the quickest way) and spotted a lovely old church on the way, and on our return journey, stopped to investigate. It is Llanfihangel Helygen (St Michael in the Willows)- though now surrounded by oaks and a couple of yew trees. It was - not surprisingly - locked and we couldn't see much through the windows, but we will go back in better times and explore. It is in my book "Wales's Best One Hundred Churches" by T J Hughes.
The small font is Norman, and the church dates to the 11th C. Built in the Radnorshire vernacular style, inside it has a triple pulpit and 14th C beams.
Anyway, we are still trying to get things straight here but having to change furniture around to try and provide the most useful storage (out goes a a linen wardrobe that was middle daughter's and in its place will go its partner, a storage unit which is lower and longer and has more useful shelving). That is somewhere at the back of one of the stalls of course, and needs to be clambered to and then rebuilt whilst the other must be dismantled and take its place! We are three big storage cupboards short here, having sold them with the old house.
Anyway, bedtime calls. Hopefully a good night's sleep now I don't have to roll in and out of the bed on the mattress on the floor!
Always nice to find a new thing on a journey!
ReplyDeleteThis was a serendipitous thing Simon, so all the better for that.
DeleteA mattress on the floor is awkward--more so as one ages and tries to rise gracefully to a standing position. I find that making up a bed with fresh linens and quilts is a satisfyingly homey thing to do.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the photos of the old church and wondering what held the stones in place.
Surnames are fascinating, including the way spelling may have altered over the years.
I'm currently struggling with the Canadian French 'dit' naming system trying to sort generations of my paternal ancestors. Handwritten in French, no less!
Am I correct in thinking that the old Welsh use of 'ap' [son of?] for a family is similar to the 'dit' designation?
SO glad to have that bed up now (whereby hangs a tale which shall unfold in due course!) Fresh bedding is lovely, I change ours every week but would have it done daily if I had a maid!!
DeleteThe stone roof tiles would be pegged. You get it in the Cotswolds too - and anywhere that there was plenty of stone to make up a roof with, rather than the later slates.
I've not come across "dit" before but imagine it means "son of" as does the Welsh "ap". How far back did it get dropped in French? Sounds like you are back a fair way - how exciting. I joined Ancestry before Christmas and now the dust is settling a little bit I hope to get back into it fully. Right now though - too many calls on my time!
What an interesting church.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Tam spotted it (she, the eagle-eyed!) as we were driving past so we made sure we stopped on the way back. I have my 100 best Welsh Churches book out now so we will look around for more. There was a fabulous one up towards Newtown which I noted when we were in Lockdown before and we promised ourselves a visit when we could. Now we are MUCH better placed to do so - an hour and a quarter off the journey!
DeleteHow lovely to have all these new things to discover! Is the church an active one?
ReplyDeleteI think it must be as there was a a Wheelie Bin outside the gate - for a moment we thought it had been turned into someone's home.
DeleteThe discovering journey gives much pleasure.
Oh what a beautiful old church!! I hope someone replaces the roof soon or the building is going to be ruined. I love the old headstones there too, undoubtedly parishoners from the church there. I would love to go back in time and see the church, and its activities & people, in its hayday. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea - the roof is sound as a bell, despite the moss. It rains so much here that stone rooves and walls are smothered in moss. (My lawn here is about 80% moss too!!)
DeleteThe saddest headstone was a wee one for the infant son of a local family in 1945. It still had a Christmas wreath on so the little one was never forgotten by his family.
Several of the more modern gravestones nearby were for former Wardens of the church.
Wouldn't it be amazing to go back in time like that? Not that I would understand a word as it would be Medieval Welsh spoken (this is a Welsh-speaking area, as Carmarthenshire was) - I would need Tam as interpreter as she is Welsh-speaking (2nd language) and understands written Medieval Welsh.
I hope the removal men will dismantle and re-assemble my bed and the two spare beds = or I shall be in a muddle! They've been asked to so should be OK
ReplyDeleteThe answer is yes. They did ours for us, very efficiently. Hope your sale is progressing well.
DeleteGlad you now have the bed back together, so much easier than trying to get up from a mattress on the floor. Storage is paramount in any home so hope you manage to get your cupboards sorted in the right rooms. Such a beautiful Church, so nice to have a tour around.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to sleep on a mattress on the floor BB I would be there still. Since breaking my hip getting up off the floor is but a memory.
ReplyDeleteWhat a super church to discover. Look forward to seeing more when it is open. Hope you sleep better :)
ReplyDelete