Church Heritage Cymru

Church Heritage Cymru 5666

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St Cynllo, Llanbister

Name:

The name or dedication of the church.

St Cynllo, Llanbister
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.

Parish Church
Church code:

A unique identification number given to every church.

5666
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 Cynllo, Llanbister
Caption:

The name/dedication of the church and its location.

St Cynllo, Llanbister
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.

Work in progress - can you help?

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.
Work in progress - can you help?
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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
RCAHMW (2004) Coflein http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/308272/details/ [Digital Archive/Document]
http://www.coflein.gov.uk/
CPAT (2016) Historic Environment Record http://www.cofiadurcahcymru.org.uk/arch/query/page.php?prn=CPAT16024 [Digital Archive/Document]
CPAT (2016) Welsh Historic Churches Survey http://www.cpat.demon.co.uk\projects\longer\churches\radnor\16816.htm [Digital Archive/Document]
http://www.cpat.demon.co.uk/projects/longer/churches/idxall.htm
Paul Baker (2017) St Cynllo's Church Llanbister floor plan [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
St Cynllo's Church Llanbister floor plan
Sylvia Richards (2017) St Cynllo, Llanbister [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
St Cynllo, Llanbister

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 110 733

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 Cynllo Llanbister LLANDRINDOD WELLS LD1 6TN

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.

Llanbister stands beside the A483 Llandrindod Wells to Newtown road some 16 km north northwest of Llandrindod Wells and 24 km south of Newtown.  The river Ithon flows south past the village which is set on a spur with valleys north and south.  A smaller road the B4356 goes to the east, eventually reaching Presteigne some 26 km away.

References

Route Planner  Directions, traffic and maps  AA

Church Plan

St Cynllo's Church Llanbister floor plan
Caption:

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

St Cynllo's Church Llanbister 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.

Hook Mason
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.

Work in progress - can you help?

Dimensions

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

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Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

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

Work in progress - can you help?

Description of Archaeology and History

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

St Cynllo was the premier saint of Northern Radnorshire - the Cantref of Maelienydd - and lived in the C6.  At the heart of the cantref the churches of Llanbadarn Fynydd, Llananno, Llanddewi Ystradenni and Llanfihangel Rhydithon were all dependent on it.  Gerald of Wales spent a night there in 1176.  Llanbister was probably a cell at that time and the the rounded churchyard and Celtic dedication suggest an early foundation. The present church is early C14 with tower added in the C15 or C16. The tower pyramid roof is typical of the Radnorshire Style. Its unusual position at the E end is accounted for by the fact that the church is built on steep ground and the E side was the most practical and aesthetically the most effective solution. The church had a gallery added in 1732 and the church was further altered in 1752, when the bell stage of the tower was remodelled effectively lowering the tower following a lightning strike. Major restoration was undertaken in 1908 by W.D. Caröe and H. Passmore, architects, who rebuilt much of the nave south wall, added the porch and inserted the baptistery. The contractors were Collins & Godfrey of Tewkesbury.

References

Cadw Listings Notice

Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013

Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports

CPAT Radnorshire Churches Survey

Exterior Description

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

The church is built into the hillside with the result that the porch looks rather like a barn when viewed from below. It is built in a mixture of Gothic styles with the nave and chancel forming a single cell and a tower which is unusually situated at the east end due to the lie of the land.  There is also a crypt.  It is built from the local pennant sandstone with rubble walls - once rendered in lime. The roof is Welsh slate with reconstituted clay ridge tiles without finials and the floors generally flag stones.

Inside the porch there are stone steps to a C14 doorway which has a continuous double chamfered 2-centred arch over a pair of 1908 doors.  Reworked masonry is used including  a stiff-leaf capital now used as a stoup.  To the left of the porch is a boarded crypt door.  The 2-stage tower also incorportates reworked masonry - both sets of reworked masonry are believed to have come from Cwmhir Abbey.  The tower is broad and square with a diagonal buttress to the east, and angle buttress to the south west and a  square turret to the north west.  In the south wall is a boarded door with studs and strap hinges of 1908 under an orriginal 4-centred head recessed beneath a 2-centred arch with a relieving arch above.  The two-tier belfry has weather boarded sides and 2 light openings beneath a pyramidal roof with weather vane.

The nave and chancel are one, at the east end of the nave  the elevation is slightly recessed and there is a  2-centred boarded door in a C14 doorway with continuous chanfer (once a prest's door into the original chancel).  The chancel is brought forward with quoins, it has a band of 2 courses of diagonally set stones beneath the eaves to the left of the window.  The chancel was probably extended n the C14 when thee extension was slightly stepped out and there are patches of hering bone masonry

References

Route Planner  Directions, traffic and maps  AA

Cadw Listings Notice

Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013

Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports

CPAT Brecknockshire Churches Survey

A Survey of Ceramic Tiles in the Radnorshire Churches M A V Gill 2005

Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

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

Work in progress - can you help?

Building Fabric and Features

Information about any important features and building fabric.

Work in progress - can you help?

Building Materials

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

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Interior Image

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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.

Seven internal steps, slate on brick, lead to the main south door.  Inside near the west end of the nave is an ashlar baptistry, with iron gates to stone steps.  Unusual in an Anglican Church it allows for full immersion and was installed to appeal to the strong local Baptist tradition -only used three times in C20.  There is a medieval font with a plain but asymmetrical octagonal bowl on a short stem and square base.  There is a west gallery together with a  glazed display case with parts of old church instruments (bassoon and double base used by musicians in the Gallery to accompany singing).  The is a holy water stoup of pieces of dressed stone from Abbey Cwmhir set into the walls.  It is unlikely (Richard Lamb Quinquennial Inspection August 2010 believes) that there are any further wall paintings concealed behind modern decoration. At the other end of the church in the chancel is a brightly coloured reredos added in 1950, with figure of Christ crucified and two supporting angels.  Set before it is an oak altar table with a two part oak communion rail with plain balusters dating from 1820.

All is under  an 18 narrow bay roof with arch braces mainly from 1908 but reproducing the earlier roof.  In the chancel are 4 tiers of windbraces froming quatrefoils while in the nave at 3 and everythird roof truss has a tie beam.

The organ was acquired from Stow parish Church in 1908 (it is not clear whether this is Stow(e) from just beyond Knighton or Stow-on-the-Wold)  There is also a Beethoven piano organ (pedal Pumped)

There is a C12 oak vestment chest.

Three bells supported in an oak frame dated 1752 , one dated 1701  by Richard Philips and the third dated 1810 by John Rudhall, one by William Blews & Sons 1888.  A chiming mechanism was installed for the millennium.

References

Cadw Listings Notice

Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013

Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports

CPAT Radnorshire Churches Survey

 

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

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

Work in progress - can you help?

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 Parish Church.

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

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

There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Parish 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 Parish Church

Churchyard Structures

Any important churchyard structures will be listed here.

Work in progress - can you help?

Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.

Low
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.

Low
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.

Low
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.

Work in progress - can you help?
Community Significance Level:

Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.

Low
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 Parish 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 Parish 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 Parish 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 Parish 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 Parish 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 Parish Church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

Refresh
WhoActionWhen
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Asset AddressWed 10 Apr 2024 13:19:01
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionMon 03 Jul 2023 09:25:42
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Exterior DescriptionMon 03 Jul 2023 09:23:40
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Archaeology and History DescriptionMon 03 Jul 2023 09:21:57
Paul BakerAdded image of the exterior of the buildingWed 29 Nov 2017 09:45:57
Paul BakerAdded a plan of the buildingFri 09 Jun 2017 11:07:03
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Interior DescriptionWed 05 Apr 2017 15:23:20
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Exterior DescriptionWed 05 Apr 2017 15:21:37
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Archaeology and History DescriptionWed 05 Apr 2017 15:19:19
Paul BakerModified asset data - Modified the Location and Setting DescriptionWed 05 Apr 2017 15:18:28
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