As you can see, sunlight was conspicuous by its absence by the time we reached Llyswen. If you would like more information/a better photo of the entire church, please go HERE to the CPAT site. (Clwyd-Powys Archeological Trust). You could do worse than go to Billy Blue-Eyes' site HERE as he truly has it covered from all angles!
As per usual, another church virtually rebuilt in Victorian times- I think it says an awful lot about the state of most rural churches that they were all in a dire state of repair. 1863 was when the rebuilding was carried out, and the original was seen as a "small and narrow structure". Nothing remains of from the Medieval period.
The three villages served - Boughrood is pronounced "Bochrood". The dedication is to Gwendoline (who is also dedicated to the church at Talgarth, some 3 miles away). She was one of the many children of Brychan, who all reached sainthood. However, the festival day of this church is 13th November - as is that of St Meilig at Llowes - it is possible that the church may have been dedicated to him initially.
My excellent book The Celtic Christian Sites of the central and southern Marches (Sarah and John Zalukyj) states that the shape of the church suggests an early Christian site, being virtually circular and raised. A tumulous in a nearby garden was written of in 1840, "opposite to the remarkable bend in the Wye river" but is no longer visible, although there is a small hillfort west of the church. Perhaps this was a very early site of worship, replacing an even earlier pagan site.
I'm hoping you can enlarge this - if not, I will type it up tomorrow, should anyone require.
The Norman font still survives. Somewhat plain.
In the churchyard were a plethora of interesting tombs and burial stones. This poor little baby, Mary Jane Griffiths, daughter of the village draper and his wife Mary lasted for just 5 weeks and 3 days . . .
Here the three Reverends were buried - the Reverend William Williams and his two sons.
This beautiful chest tomb has lost a support and is quite cock-eyed. It is dedicated to the Rev. John Morris, A.B. of Jesus College, Oxford, aged just 34 years. He was remembered for his unvarying kindness to the poor.
I couldn't read the dedication on this gravestone, for it was covered in ivy, but I loved the decoration at the bottom.
A very narrow coffin-shaped memorial rendered completely anonymous by the lichen growing upon it.
A rather smart combination headstone and small chest tomb in memory of Mary Radcliffe, who died in 1886.
Tomorrow I will share some of the history of our new home with you. I knew much of what I read (and copied at great haste) today, but confirmed dates and earliest occupants, which was satisfying. I had a lovely morning researching and I've not scribbled that fast since Uni lectures!
Nicely covered, I like how you picked up on some of the inscriptions on the tombs not something I tend to do. That Ivy covered one looks like it could be from around the 1700's. Oldest ones I hav ever come across date from the 1600's. Did you find the link I left to the list of the Welsh churches I have visited.
ReplyDeleteWell, a triple Rev. tomb is a coup isn't it?!! I loved that ivy covered one. We drive through Llyswen regularly so it seemed a good idea to stop and check it out.
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for your link. Will sit down over breakfast tomorrow and enjoy myself checking out where you've been.
Old graveyards are so very interesting. Love the shapes, ivy and lichen coverings.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I'm getting quite fascinated by the designs on these old gravestones. Tam did a study of the main cemetery at Sheffield, including gravestone designs and what the occupants had died from. We have some idea of that in the Victorian parish records, for the local population then.
DeleteAn interesting visit
ReplyDeleteThe Victorians did so much 'modernisation' here too, luckily there is often a little bit of earlier times left,often the font like in your church.
Interesting to hear of a St Gwendoline - unique to Wales?
This particular one is VERY local as her father was Brychan Brycheiniog (Breconshire, or Brecknockshire as it was called). He had something like 26 children and all of them were Saintly. There was a Breton Holy Woman called Gwen Teirbron (which means 3 breasts!) and one of her children was a saint. Gwen in that sense probably comes from similarities in language in that Gwyn is Welsh for white, and in Cornish white is guyn (v. similar). Sabine Baring-Gould (one of my favourite writers about such things) said there was a Breton St. Gwen in the 5th Century (one and the same).
DeleteGood to see that at least the font remains from earlier times. Interesting churchyard too with some fascinating inscriptions and tombs/gravestones.
ReplyDeleteThe font is so often all that really remains in Medieval churches rebuilt in Victorian times. I think the state that many churches were in, it was hardly worth rebuilding the walls - they just started from scratch again.
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