St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major
St Illtyd's Church is a medieval church in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, southeast Wales. It is one of the oldest and best-known parish churches in Wales.
[edit] History
Before the church was built, Cor Tewdws, a monastery and divinity school, alternately named Caerworgorn, or Bangor Tewdws (College of Theodosius), or later Bangor Illtyd ("Illtyd's college").[1] Saint David, Saint Samson, Saint Paul Aurelian, Saint Gildas, Saint Tudwal, Saint Baglan and king Maelgwn Gwynedd are said to have studied at the divinity school. It has often been called "the oldest university in the world". Cor Tewdws was destroyed in AD 446 and re-founded in AD 508 by St Illtyd as a centre of learning. The ruins of the school are in a garden on the north side of the churchyard; and the monastery was situated north of the tithe barn on Hill Head.[2]
[edit] Architecture
The elongated church (51°24′29″N 3°29′16″W / 51.4081°N 3.4878°W) , a conglomeration of distinct buildings, is divided into two areas by a wall, a 13th century monastery church, and the Norman parish church. The eastern section contains interesting medieval wall paintings with religious themes, and a fine reredos. The western section, a Lady chapel, 40.5 feet (12.3 m) in length,[2] has an inscription to King Rhys ap Arthfael of Morgannwg who died in the mid-9th century.[1] The church contains a curfew bell and medieval priest effigies.[3] The older church is 64 feet (20 m) long; the newer church was built by Richard Neville.[1]
St. Illtyd's church predates the Age of the Saints in early Welsh Christianity and thus by its very existence provides evidence of continuity with sub-Roman Christianity. The churchyard contains three ancient relics, a pillar and two inscribed stones; one dates from Saint Samson's time. The grounds also include a 13th century gatehouse, a monks' pigeon-house, ruined walls in a garden area, and mounds near the vicarage.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Newell, Ebenezer Josiah (1887). A popular history of the ancient British church: with special reference to the church in Wales (Public domain ed.). Society for promoting Christian knowledge. pp. 115–. http://books.google.com/books?id=LcnMEvzEEGUC&pg=PA115. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
- ^ a b The art journal London (Public domain ed.). Virtue. 1860. pp. 217–. http://books.google.com/books?id=vY1CAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA217. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
- ^ Williams, Peter N. (March 2001). The Sacred Places of Wales: A Modern Pilgrimage. Wales Books. pp. 21–. ISBN 978-0-7596-0785-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=PA-0mLsrmMwC&pg=PA21. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
