Church Heritage Cymru

Church Heritage Cymru 5554

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St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen

Name:

The name or dedication of the church.

St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen
Record Type:

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.

Daughter Church
Church code:

A unique identification number given to every church.

5554
Diocese:

The name of the diocese in which the church is located.

Swansea and Brecon
Archdeaconry:

The name of the archdeaconry in which the church is located.

Brecon
Parish:

This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.

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Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?

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.

This is a Grade II* Listed Building
Scheduled Monument?

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 is no Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

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. 

The church is not in a National Park

Conservation Area

There are over 500 conservation areas in Wales. They are designated by local planning authorities for their special architectural and historic interest.

The church is not in a Conservation Area

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Buildings At Risk Status

On Buildings At Risk Register?

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. 

This church is not on the Buildings at Risk Register
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Approximate Date

Approximate Date:

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).

Medieval

Exterior Image

 	St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen
Caption:

The name/dedication of the church and its location.

St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen
Description:

A brief description of the image

Year / Date:

The date the image was created.

2017
Copyright:

Details of any copyright are displayed here.

Originator:

The name of the person who uploaded the image.

Sylvia Richards

Summary Description

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.

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Visiting and Facilities

Useful information is displayed here for people wishing to visit the church. This may include things like opening hours, catering & toilet facilities, parking, etc. 

The church is open for worship.
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Church Website

Church Website:

If the church has its own website the details will be displayed here.

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Sources and Further Information

Any further sources of information for the church will be listed here (eg. links to other historic databases).

View information on worship and access at this church on the Church In Wales web site
CPAT (2016) Historic Environment Record http://www.cofiadurcahcymru.org.uk/arch/query/page.php?prn=CPAT16030 [Digital Archive/Document]
CPAT (2016) Welsh Historic Churches Survey http://www.cpat.demon.co.uk\projects\longer\churches\radnor\16853.htm [Digital Archive/Document]
http://www.cpat.demon.co.uk/projects/longer/churches/idxall.htm
Paul Baker (2017) Llanfihangel Helygen Floor plan [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Llanfihangel Helygen Floor plan
Sylvia Richards (2017) St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
 	St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen
Sylvia Richards (2017) St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen interior [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen interior

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.

Grid Reference: SO 046 643

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Church address

Address
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
St Michael Llanfihangel Helygen LLANDRINDOD WELLS LD1 6ED

Administrative Area

Unitary Authority:

This is the name of the Local Authoirity within which the church is located.

Powys - Powys

Location and Setting

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.

The church of Llanfihangel Helygen lies a few kilometres northwest of Llandrindod Wells approached along a minor road leading north from Llanyre.  Also known at St Michael in the Willows the church is well surrunded by trees.

Church Plan

Llanfihangel Helygen Floor plan
Caption:

The name/dedication of the church to which the plan refers.

Llanfihangel Helygen Floor plan
Description:

A brief description of the plan. eg. who created it and where it came from.

Year / Date:

The date the plan was created.

2017
Copyright:

The details of any copyright are displayed here.

David Macrae
Originator:

The name of the person who inputted the plan.

Paul Baker

Ground Plan Description and Dimensions

Ground Plan

This is a description of the ground plan of the church.

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Dimensions

If known, the dimensions (measurements) of the church ground plan will be displayed here.

46 ft by 19 ft

Reference

The Story of Llanfihangel Helygen Church and Parish Archdeacon Wynford Rees

Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

If the footrprint (area) of the church is known, it will be displayed here.

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Description of Archaeology and History

A description of the history and archaeology of the church and its site.

A medieval church, although the oldest part of the present building is the C16 or C17 roof. The church was partly rebuilt c1812 after the end of the Napoleonic Wars.  The roof was re-slated in 1868 and in 1956 further restoration under the direction of  Mr A D R Caröe with further major work in 1993.

In 1702 a first Perpetual Curate was appointed to the church and Perpetual Curates were appointed until Revd James John Evans was appointed in 1849.  In 1858 he became vicar of Llanyre and Llanfihangel Helygen after the Parishes of Llanyre and Llanfihangel Helygen were created by Order in Council on 27 April 1858.  These Perpetual Curates were appointed by the Vicar of Nantmel, the Vicar of Nantmel would continue to receive the tithes but otherwise a Perpetual Curate was a Vicar to all intents and purposes only removable by the Bishop.  Among these Vicars of Nantmel wasThe Venerable Richard Venables who was vicar between 1828 and 1858, he was also a Prebendary of Christ College Brecon  and Vicar of Clyro.  In 1832 he became Archdeacon of Carmarthen and held all these livings in plurality save in 1844 he resigned the living of Clyro in favour of his son Lister Vendables who was the vicar of Clyro in Kilvert's time

References

Journal of the Pembrokeshire Historical Society  vol. 8 1998-1999  The Venables's visit to St David's in 1879 by Margaret S Walker

The Story of Llanfihangel Helygen Church and Parish Archdeacon Wynford Rees

Exterior Description

A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.

A small church with a simple plan of nave, chancel and west vestry under a single roof, of rubble stone with brick quoins, and graded stone-tile roof. A square bellcote set back from the west end has weatherboarded sides and pyramidal stone roof. Most openings have wooden lintels. In the south wall the entrance to the nave has a door with narrow Gothic arched panels. To its left is a 9-pane vestry window, in a brick surround. A 2-light chancel south window has diamond-pane glazing. The pointed east window has Y-tracery and small-pane glazing in a brick surround. On the north side is a 2-light chancel window with leaded lights and a similar but larger 3-light nave window incorporating a metal casement.  

References

Cadw Listings Notice

Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013

The Story of Llanfihangel Helygen Church and Parish Archdeacon Wynford Rees

Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

Information about any noteable architects, artists, people, or events associated with the church.

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Building Fabric and Features

Information about any important features and building fabric.

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Building Materials

If known, a list of the church's major building material/s will be displayed here.

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Interior Image

St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen interior
Caption:

The name/dedication of the church and its location.

St Michael, Llanfihangel Helygen interior
Description:

A brief description of the image.

Year / Date:

The date the image was created.

2017
Copyright:

Copyright details.

Originator:

The name of the person who inputted the image.

Sylvia Richards

Interior Description

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 nave and chancel have a 5-bay arched-brace roof incorporating cusped windbraces, in 2 tiers, on the north side. A stone wall to eaves height divides nave and vestry, which is infilled with lapboarding in the roof space. The interior is laid out in Georgian style. The panelled pulpit and reading desk are in the centre of the north side of the nave. Wooden box pews have mostly panelled doors, one with raised fields, but other woodwork is partly panelled, partly plain boarding. The C19 3-sided altar rails are in early Georgian style and have turned balusters and moulded square posts with ball finials. On the left side of the altar is a cupboard with an iron door. The post-Reformation font has a round bowl and broad stem (although it has also been interpreted as a re-used medieval stoup). 

The interior is laid ourt in a Geogian style with an Oak altar table and  decorative plainly crafted pitch pine altar rail in Georgian style.

Reference

References

Cadw Listings Notice

The Story of Llanfihangel Helygen Church and Parish Archdeacon Wynford Rees

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

Information about the church's important internal fixtures and fittings. 

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PULPIT

Portable Furnishings and Artworks

Information about the church's important moveable items and artworks.

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Ecology

A description of the ecology of the churchyard.

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Ecological Designations

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

The everyday wildlife of burial grounds means much to those who visit and cherish them but many burial grounds are so rich in wildlife that they should be designated and specially protected. Few have the legal protection of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or, in the case of local authority owned cemeteries, Local Nature Reserve. This makes it even more important that they are cared for and protected by the people looking after them.

Many have a non-statutory designation as a recognition of their importance. These non-statutory designations have a variety of names in different regions including Local Wildlife Site, County Wildlife Site, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation or Site of Nature Conservation Importance (Local Wildlife Site is the most common name). Their selection is based on records of the most important, distinctive and threatened species and habitats within a national, regional and local context. This makes them some of our most valuable wildlife areas.

For example, many burial grounds which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites contain species-rich meadow, rich in wildflowers, native grasses and grassland fungi managed by only occasional mowing plus raking. When this is the case, many animals may be present too, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This type of grassland was once widespread and has been almost entirely lost from the UK with approximately 3% remaining, so burial grounds with species-rich meadow managed in this way are extremely important for wildlife.

These designations should be considered when planning management or change.

If you think that this or any other burial ground should be designated please contact Caring for God’s Acre (info@cfga.org.uk) to discuss. Many eligible sites have not yet received a designation and can be surveyed and then submitted for consideration.

There are no SSSIs within the curtilage of this Daughter Church.

There are no Local nature reserves within the curtilage of this Daughter Church.

There are no Local Wildlife sites within the curtilage of this Daughter Church.

Evidence of the Presence of Bats

Information about the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.

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Burial and War Grave Information

Records whether the church has been consecrated.

The church/building is consecrated.

Records whether there have been burials in the churchyard.

The churchyard has been used for burial.

Records whether the churchyard is still being used for burials.

The churchyard is used for burial.

Records whether there are any war graves in the churchyard.

The churchyard does not have war graves.

National Heritage Designations

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

There are no Listed Buildings within the curtilage of this Daughter Church.

There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Daughter Church.

Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

Churchyards are home to fantastic trees, in particular ancient and veteran trees which can be the oldest indication of a sacred space and be features of extraordinary individuality. The UK holds a globally important population of ancient and veteran yew trees of which three-quarters are found in the churchyards of England and Wales.

There are more than 1,000 ancient and veteran yews aged at least 500 years in these churchyards.

To put this in context, the only other part of western Europe with a known significant yew population is Normandy in northern France, where more than 100 ancient or veteran churchyard yews have been recorded.

Burial grounds may contain veteran and ancient trees of other species such as sweet chestnut or small-leaved lime which, whilst maybe not so old as the yews, are still important for wildlife and may be home to many other species.

Specialist advice is needed when managing these wonderful trees. For more information or to seek advice please contact Caring for God’s Acre, The Ancient Yew Group and The Woodland Trust.

If you know of an ancient or veteran tree in a burial ground that is not listed here please contact Caring for God’s Acre.

There are currently no Ancient, Veteran or Notable trees connected to this Daughter Church

Churchyard Structures

Any important churchyard structures will be listed here.

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Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.

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Setting Significance Description:

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.

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Fabric Significance Level:

Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.

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Fabric Significance Description:

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.

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Interior Significance Level:

Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.

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Interior Significance Description:

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.

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Community Significance Level:

Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.

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Community Significance Description:

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. 

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Church Renewables

Any renewable energy systems the church is using will be listed here.

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Species Summary

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

All of the species listed below have been recorded in close proximity to the Daughter Church . A few species which are particularly threatened and affected by disturbance may not be listed here because their exact location cannot be shared.

NOTE: Be aware that this dataset is growing, and the species totals may change once the National Biodiversity Network has added further records. Species may be present but not recorded and still await discovery.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.

To learn more about all of the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.

"Seek Advice" Species

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator

If any of the following species have been seen close to the Daughter Church, it is important to seek advice from an expert. You will need to know if they are present now, and to follow expert recommendations when planning works. All of these species have specific legal protection as a recognition of their rarity. All of them are rare or becoming increasingly endangered, so it is important to ensure that management and other works do not adversely affect them. In addition, there may be things you can do to help these special species. N.B. Swift and House Martin do not have specific legal protection but are included, as roof repair works often impact breeding swifts and house martins which is against the law.

This is not a complete list of protected species, there are many more, but these are ones that are more likely to be found. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are also protected by law, as are all bats and veteran trees. In a few cases, species are considered particularly prone to disturbance or destruction by people, so the exact location of where they were recorded is not publicly available but can be requested. These ‘blurred’ records are included here, and the accuracy is to 1km. This means that the species has been recorded in close proximity to the Daughter Church, or a maximum of 1km away from it. As these ‘blurred’ species are quite mobile, there is a strong likelihood that they can occur close to the Daughter Church. To learn about these special species, use the link provided for each species in the table below

One important species which is not included here is the Peregrine Falcon. This is protected and advice should be sought if peregrines are nesting on a church or cathedral. Peregrine records are ‘blurred’ to 10km, hence the decision not to include records here. Remember too that species not seriously threatened nationally may still be at risk in your region and be sensitive to works. You should check with local experts about this. You may also need to seek advice about invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed and aquatics colonising streams or pools, which can spread in churchyards.

N.B. If a species is not recorded this does not indicate absence. It is always good practice to survey.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre can help and support you in looking after the biodiversity present in this special place. If you know that any of these species occur close to the Daughter Church and are not recorded here, please contact Caring for God’s Acre with details (info@cfga.org.uk).

To find out more about these and other species recorded against this Daughter Church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

Refresh
WhoActionWhen
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Asset AddressWed 10 Apr 2024 12:13:35
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionTue 04 Jul 2023 11:26:13
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Exterior DescriptionTue 04 Jul 2023 11:25:40
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Archaeology and History DescriptionTue 04 Jul 2023 11:25:15
Paul BakerAdded image of the interior of the buildingThu 07 Dec 2017 12:09:22
Paul BakerAdded image of the exterior of the buildingThu 07 Dec 2017 12:07:32
Paul BakerAdded a plan of the buildingThu 08 Jun 2017 12:34:52
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionTue 18 Apr 2017 11:39:05
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Exterior DescriptionTue 18 Apr 2017 11:37:41
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionThu 13 Apr 2017 15:26:54
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