There was a double rainbow with its end in Newbridge-on-Wye as we were driving towards it - the arc of it was in really strong colours, but of course I was driving so couldn't take a photo. I had to make do with this fading image at Llanafan Fawr.
The church was probably an episcopal see at one time - an idea arising from an inscription on a stone known as St Afan's tomb - I looked, but couldn't find it, but many of the chest tombs there had inscriptions absolutely smothered in litchen, and unreadable, so I dare say even if I'd found it, illegibility would have ruled. Apparently this tomb marked the spot where St Afan was murdered by Irish pirates (a long way from the sea!) or more likely, Danes. At any rate, his Festival day is 16 or 17th November. Sabine Baring-Gould up from Devon on a church-crawling holiday, noted that a smallholding known as Derwen Afan (Afan's Oak) was nearby, and the rectory went by the unusual name of Perth y Sant (the Saint's Bush).
Unfortunately as it was locked, we were unable to go inside and see the equal-armed cross on an Early Christian Monument near the altar, although the fragments of even earlier crosses in the porch wall more than sufficed.
The church forms part of a much larger ritual/Christian landscape, as on the far side of the road is a ring motte 200 yards west of the church, some 45 yards in diameter - imagine a castle motte without the castle on it, which was a defensive structure. There are also other relics from the past nearby - a standing stone perhaps half a mile from the church and looking at the map, a stretch marked Roman Road from Beaulah, continues marked Sarn Helen (same thing really) passes nearby. Originally the church would have stood on a cross-roads as the lane beside it carries on as a trackway opposite and up into the hills - imagine transhumance grazing in the Iron Age into Medieval times.
Anyway, time to carry on with my Ebay listings. Here are the curtains and fabrics I hoped to use here, but we have the Wrong Size Windows!
Laura Ashley hydrangea curtains.
1985 Laura Ashley Oak Leaves fabric.
William Morris (by Sanderson) linen fabric which I wish I could use here, it's so beautiful.
More vintage Laura Ashley fabric (1975). You're noticing a theme, I'm sure!
We may seek out another local church today . . . watch this space.
