St Illtyd's is a grade II listed building. A small church rebuilt by the Norman's from stone before the 13th Century. Built on the site of an even older church (6th Century).
The Parish Church of Saint illtyd, has a tower dating from the Norman period (11th to 13th century), restored in 1859. The nave, porch, vestry and end chancel of the church were mostly rebuilt in the same year.
St illtyds stands surrounded by several thousand ancient burials & hundreds of old headstones some dating back to the early 1600's AD.
Some of the older grave slabs have been used as steps as you enter the Churchyard. Several grave slabs have also been reset in the church wall, in the shape of a cross, one of which is dated 1611 another 1617.
St Illtyds is a Church in Wales, denomination, in the Diocese of Llandaff.
From the Parish Website:
"The history of St Illtyd’s Church dates back to the time of the Saint himself. Illtyd was a 6th Century teacher and tradition has it that he used to retire during Lent to the banks of the River Nedd, at a point where the present church now stands.
In the Norman period it was rebuilt in stone, apart from which very little is known of its development over the centuries until 1850, when it was decided to restore, repair and enlarge the building to the form in which we find it today." Text Source: (
visit link)
From the British Listed buildings Website:
"C13 or earlier with retoration of 1859. Defensible medieval W tower, largely rebuilt aisle-less nave with S porch, N vestry and narrower chancel. Random rubble masonry, C19 snecked and coursed work. Gabled slate roofs, lower with steeper pitch to chancel. Raking gable parapets on kneelers.
Three stage W tower. Crenellated parapet on corbels, later copings to merlons. One light bellstage openings, arched stone lintels, chamfered reveals. Slit-like openings to first floor, string course. Splayed ground floor. Early C16 window to W. Two rounded lights, central mullion flanked by wheel motif and Tudor rose below drop ended label. Broad W door, 2 order depressed arch with hoodmould. Slit-like window to vice in splayed wall linking nave to tower on N. Three by nave, raised eaves. C19 gabled S porch, cross finial, clasping buttresses. Moulded round arched doorway, hoodmould, heads to stops. Caernarfon arch under pointed tympanum to inner doorway. Welsh inscription of 1859 commemorating rebuilding. Two round arched nave windows, hoodmoulds, heads. Re-set early C17 tombstones of Evans family of Eaglesbush in C19 buttress like projections to right of porch. C18 moulded labels and brackets. N wall windows lack hoodmoulds, C19 gabled vestry.
Blocked priests door to S on Chancel, round arched, stone voussoirs. Round arched windows to sides, tall round arched lancet to E window. Two C18 grave slabs set into wall to left under hoods on brackets." Text Source: (
visit link)
Street address of Church:
Llantwit Road,
Llantwit-juxta-Neath,
County Borough of Neath Port Talbot,
Wales. SA11 3LB
Primary website for this Historic Churchyard: (
visit link)