The name or dedication of the church.
This identifies the church type. Most churches are parish churches which means they serve a specific parish or area. Other types such as chapel, daughter and mission are mostly historic designations as many are now also parish churches. Please note that former churches are no longer used for worhsip and may be in private ownership.
A unique identification number given to every church.
The name of the diocese in which the church is located.
The name of the archdeaconry in which the church is located.
This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.
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There are 3 levels of listing: Grade I, II* & II. The majority of buildings which are of special interest are Grade II. A much smaller number of particularly important buildings are listed as Grade II*. Buildings of exceptional interest (approx 2% of the total number of listed buildings) are Grade I.
Ancient monuments and archaeological remains of national importance are protected by law. Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service is responsible for compiling a schedule (list) of these ancient monuments, some of which can be found in churches and churchyards. Examples can include churchyard crosses and the archaeological remains of previous churches or buildings on the site.
There are three National Parks in Wales: Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons. These protect 20 percent of the land in Wales, including precious landscapes, habitats, villages and heritage sites.
There are over 500 conservation areas in Wales. They are designated by local planning authorities for their special architectural and historic interest.
The Buildings at Risk register is managed by Cadw (the Welsh Government’s historic environment service) in order to identify the number and type of listed buildings at risk in Wales.
It is often extremely difficult to determine a precise date of construction for a church as many have been extensively altered over time. Church Heritage Cymru therefore shows a date range within which a church is believed to have been constructed. The dates are as follows: Early Medieval (pre 1066), Medieval (post 1066 to 1540), Post Medieval (1540 to 1837), Victorian/Pre WWI (1837 to 1914) and Modern (post 1914).
This is a very brief summary of the church's main features. More detailed nformation can be found in the other fields and pages (tabs) in this database.
Useful information is displayed here for people wishing to visit the church. This may include things like opening hours, catering & toilet facilities, parking, etc.
If the church has its own website the details will be displayed here.
Any further sources of information for the church will be listed here (eg. links to other historic databases).
This is the Ordnance Survey (OS) reference for the location of the church. Some locations will be approximate as this data is continuously being refined and updated.
This is the name of the Local Authoirity within which the church is located.
This describes how the church relates to its immediate and wider environment, sometimes called its setting. It describes how the church contributes to its landscape or townscape and how these things collectively contribute to the character of the area.
Llan is 20 km east of Machynlleth and is approached along the B4518 from the A470 at Llanbrynmair. Until the arrival of the turnpike in 1821 this village was the main body of Llanbrynmair now to be found 2.5 km north east. The church is positioned in a circular churchyard on the top of a small hill, to the south the ‘mountain road’ leads to Llanidloes.
References
Route Planner Directions, traffic and maps AA
This is a description of the ground plan of the church.
If known, the dimensions (measurements) of the church ground plan will be displayed here.
If the footrprint (area) of the church is known, it will be displayed here.
A description of the history and archaeology of the church and its site.
The earliest reference to a church here in the 1254 Taxation when is was listed as Brenneyr and grouped with Cemmaes with a value of £1 6s 8d. Tradition states that St Cadfan founded a church here dedicated to St Mary c AD560. In 1748 the west gable of the church was rebuilt and the porch repaired and the wagon ceiling installed (the vestry minutes record the employment of a local carpenter to do the work). In 1775 the transept was reroofed and repaired and in 1790 it was ceiled. A school room was held in the transept from about 1812 with a reflagged floor and was boarded off from the main part of the church. A report of 1847 records 41 girls and 36 boys being taught. In 1856 a new school and school master’s house were built on the glebe across the road. In about 1860 a west gallery was removed the parish was transferred from St Asaph Diocese to the Diocese of Bangor where it now remains. Restoration work took place in 1901 and further restoration in 1993. William Williams (Gwilym Cefeiliog, 1801-1876) the ‘englynwyr, of Bontdolgadfan has his tomb in the churchyard – he being a respected bard of the Eisteddfodi. There is a plaque in the church which records the fact that the archive of the Middle Temple was stored here during World War II.
Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013
CPAT Montgomeryshire Churches Survey
Cadw Listings Notice
NLW Dictionary of Biography
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church is a single chamber nave and chancel with a north transept, south porch and a bell turret at the western end of the nave. It was constructed with local sedimentary rock – shales or siltstones and there is some lime wash residue on the ecclesiastical south side. It mostly suggests a medieval foundation of C14 or £15. The roof is of slate with red ridge tiles and a cross finial set slightly back from the east end. The transept roof is higher than that of the chancel. There isa pyramidal slate roof on the bell turret again with red ridge tiles. In the north wall of the nave double doors give access to an old Bier House and probably dates from C19 and is contemporary with the installation of the vestry in the transept. This bell turret is half timbered on its north, east and south sides and has a clock face on the south side and all is toped by a wrought iron weather vane.
Information about any noteable architects, artists, people, or events associated with the church.
Information about any important features and building fabric.
If known, a list of the church's major building material/s will be displayed here.
Any renewable energy systems the church is using will be listed here.
This section gives a general description of the interior of the church. Further details of any important internal fixtures and fittings will be listed below.
The church is entered through a porch with red tiles on the floor beneath exposed rafters and purlins of the roof. The entrance into the nave is beneath a two-centred arch. The nave has woodblock flooring with painted and plastered walls and a roof formed by four king-post tie beam trusses to the east and three collar trusses with king struts at the west end. The collar trusses spring from the wall plates, those in the western wall are immured into the wall while those to the east have arch bracing and the central one has a collar which is reinforced by additional timberwork. The whole looks rather untidy and it may be that the king-post relate to the C18 rebuilding while the rest are medieval. The west end of the nave is separated off to provide a former vestry and entrance up a dog-legged stair to the bell turret. The bell turret is supported by four massive oak upright s and are carried on timber spreaders. The vestry in the transept has a floor raised by two steps above the nave level with plastered walls above the dado which is made from old pew panels. The chancel is two steps up from the nave with a further one into the sanctuary and two up to the altar. The woodblock floor was renewed in 1993.
The C13 round bowled font stands on an octagonal stem. The pulpit dates from c1920 and has panels carved by Daniel Winteringham Stable of Plas Llwyn Owen, and the reading desk has C18 panels. The stained glass: in the north wall some coloured interlace by D. Evans & Sons date 1860 and in the east window ‘The Crucifixion with scenes from the Gospels’ by 6.Herbert Bryans and dated 1906’. There are three bells, a tenor and another dated 1665 and a base by A Rudhall inscribed ‘Prosperity to this Parish AR 1759.’
Information about the church's important internal fixtures and fittings.
Information about the church's important moveable items and artworks.
A description of the ecology of the churchyard.
Information about the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.
Records whether the church has been consecrated.
Records whether there have been burials in the churchyard.
Records whether the churchyard is still being used for burials.
Records whether there are any war graves in the churchyard.
Any important churchyard structures will be listed here.
Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the relationship of the church to its surrounding area and helps place it within its wider landscape context.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the significance of the historic building fabric of the church.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the historic significance of the interior of the church.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the relationship between the church and its community.