St David Old Church, Llanwrtyd Wells
St David Old Church, Llanwrtyd Wells
St David’s Old Church is a Grade II* Church in Wales church in the Irfon valley above Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon. It stands in a large circular churchyard just above the confluence with the Nant Lletgwial.
- Location
- Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys
- Country
- Wales
- County
- Powys
- City / town
- Llanwrtyd Wells
- Address
- Abergwesyn Road, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys, LD5 4TL
- Postcode
- LD5 4TL
- Built
- 14th–15th century; 16th-century windows; restored 1861–62 and 1935
- Architect
- C Buckeridge (1861–62 restoration)
- Denomination
- Church in Wales
- Dedication
- David
- Diocese
- Swansea and Brecon
- Parish
- Irfon, Wye and Edw
- Grade
- II*
- Style
- Medieval with Tudor windows
- Materials
- Rubble stone under slate roofs; slightly battered walls with quoins
- Grid reference
- SN 863 477
- Opening hours
- The church is opened daily from 10am to 5pm in the winter and 9am to 8pm in the summer.
- Access
- Level access throughout
Overview
Cadw records a fourteenth- to fifteenth-century church, probably on an ancient site, with sixteenth-century Tudor windows and possible rebuilding of the chancel. The plan is a nave, non-aligned chancel, west bellcote and south porch. Fabric is rubble stone under slate roofs with battered walls and cross finials. The hymn writer William Williams of Pantycelyn was curate here from 1740 to 1742 under the Revd Theophilus Evans, who publicised the local spa waters. C. Buckeridge restored the church after an Incorporated Church Building Society grant in 1861; further work followed in 1935. St David’s remained the parish church until St James was built in Llanwrtyd Wells in 1896.
Inside are a seven-bay arch-braced nave roof, a recut medieval octagonal font, and an early medieval pillar stone with a Celtic cross brought to the church in 1903. A mural stair led to a former rood loft. CPAT notes the curvilinear churchyard and an early medieval foundation as likely. The church has no electricity.