The Church of St Madoc is part of the 'Church in Wales' Dioceses of Swansea and Brecon. The site of the church has been used as a place of worship since the 5th or 6th century. The church displays several ancient inscribed stones, and artefacts. St Madoc's church is located in the tiny village of Llanmadog, on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales.
The five feet tall pillar stone with cross inscribed, featured in this listing is believed to be over 1100 years old, from the 8th or 9th century.
Coflien Description:
"Pillar stone found in Llanmadog Churchyard in 1864, re-set upright inside church in recess at west end of nave. The undressed stone with expanded head is 1.55m, 45cm wide at the head, with shaft 35cm wide increasing to 50cm at the base, and 7cm thick, incised linear cross on widest part of face. ex RCAHMW Glamorgan I, iii, p40, inv no 865.
RCAHMW AP945083/48" Text Source: (
visit link)
"This is an early Christian site, as evidenced by three Early Christian monuments or parts of monuments, one an inscribed slab of late 5th-early 6th century date, now housed within the church. The earliest, of late 5th-6th century date, is built into the sill of the SE nave window,; the others are pillar stones dating from 7th-9th century. Text Source: (
visit link)
"Dedicated to Madoc, a Celtic saint, who is reputed to have founded a church in the 6th century. The 13th century building was restored in 1865.
Set in the window sill of the first window is a lettered stone dated from the 6th century. Discovered in 1861 in the walls of the old parsonage house it commemorates 'Advenctus son of Guanus'.
In the west wall is a crude pillar cross and a boundary marker dating from the 7th - 9th centuries, whilst the present font is probably Norman." Text Source: (
visit link)
"As it currently stands, St Madoc's Church, Llanmadoc, (LB 11532 II) dates to the twelfth century, however it is regarded as having been founded much earlier in the sixth century by Saint Madoc. Following the Anglo-Norman annexation of the area the church was granted first to the Knights Templar in 1156 by Margaret, Countess of Warwick and, after the suppression of the order imposed by Pope Clement V in 1309, to the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem. In turn the church passed to the crown with the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. Little of the history of the church is documented until the late nineteenth century when renovations began. The present condition of the church is due to Reverend J D Davies, a local historian, who contributed £500 to the restoration of the building; completed in 1866, this included the partial rebuilding of the nave, tower and chancel. All the windows were restored, except the eastern window to the south of the chancel, which may be the original medieval east window relocated.
The church houses two early medieval monuments, both scheduled, one a pillar stone (SAM GM223A) located in the churchyard and dating between the seventh and ninth centuries, the other a stone sporting two incised crosses and dating from before the ninth century (SAM GM223B) was found in the churchyard wall and has been relocated." Text Source: (
visit link)
If church is not open. The Church Key is available at Llanmadoc shop all year round. Entry to the church is free, but donations are always appreciated.