When we were in Brecon for an auction recently, I decided to check out a couple of local churches which held early Christian crosses. This church is St Peter and St Illtyd's at Llanhamlach, and was easily found, just off the A40 beyond Brecon. There are several dedications to Illtyd in this area, and indeed just half a mile away is a Neolithic burial mound bearing St Illtyd's name.
My camera wasn't very good (or rather I WASN'T VERY GOOD) at photographing the Moridic Cross. Hence starting with the interpretation in the Church, so you know how the stone actually looks.
This stone was discovered in the demolished medieval rectory where it had been used as a lintel. It's been dated to the 10th or 11th C and bears the inscription JOHANNIS MOREDIC SUREXIT HUNC LAPIDEM. Unfortunately the top of the stone is broken off, but there remains a Latin cross with forked ends, and below this are male and female figures with their hands raised to the side of their heads. Whoever the female figure is (and I think my money is on Brychan's daughter, St. Eiliwedd, due to the field name nearby), the latter would appear to be lactating!
Above: the St Eiliwedd figure is partially visible.
The top half of both of the figures.
The lichen-encrusted stone in its entirety.
The alter with modern paintings of Angels.
The tryptych above the stone, beautifully painted.
Below: I thought it fitting that those who died in WW1 and are remembered in this church, should be remembered again, a century on.
Above, the surname Prosser is obviously a local one here.
Above and below: these were very old grave slabs which had been put into the porch to avoid any further erosion. One is the Aubrey/Aubray family.
Below, finally another piece of carved stone from early medieval times which has been incorporated into the western wall of the tower.
Many thanks to Sarah and John Zaluckyj' book "The Celtic Christian Sites of the central and southern Marches for information reference this site.
