St Llawddog Church - Bell Tower - Cenarth, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
N 52° 02.684 W 004° 31.418
30U E 395509 N 5767109
St Llawddog's Church - A Grade II listed church, built in 1872 to replace an earlier medieval building. The church has a twin, Bellcote Tower. Located in Cenarth, Carmarthenshire, (Former Dyfed) South Wales
Waymark Code: WMQ5R1
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 12/25/2015
Views: 3
St Llawddog's Church is named after a 6th century Saint whose holy well can still be seen nearby. The denomination is 'The Church in Wales' in the Parish of Cenarth, in the Diocese of St. David's.
The Church is open to pilgrims and visitors between 10am and 5pm daily throughout the summer. Other times bay arrangement. Guided tours available.
Bellcote;
"A turret or framework upon a roof, built to hang bells. The most common bellcote is a very simple gable affair housing a single bell, placed at the west end of the nave roof. However, more elaborate Bellcotes might have space for two or even three bells under a common turret. Bellcotes are sometimes called bell gables, and the term may be spelled with two words rather than as a single word (i.e. bell cote)." Text Source; (
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From the Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical monuments of Wales;
"St Llawddog's church was a parish church during the medieval period, belonging to the Deanery of Emlyn and appropriated to St Davids Cathedral. In 1833 the living was still in the patronage of the Bishop of St David's. In 1998 St Llawddog's was a parish church belonging to the Rural Deanery of Emlyn. It is situated within a curvilinear churchyard, immediately north-east of the A484 and some 100m north-east of Parc-y-domen motte (NPRN 304127), a Scheduled Ancient Monument. A Latin inscribed stone is located near the western churchyard boundary, adjacent to the south-west corner of the church building. It is noted to have originally been located in a nearby field and was reportedly moved to its current location in 1894. St Llawddog's well (NPRN 418381) is situated some 140m west-north-west of the church.
The medieval church may have been sited immediately south of the present building. In 1844 it was described as some 50ft long and 25ft broad, with 230 sittings. In 1855 it was described as being comprised of nave, chancel and Tran-septal south chapel. The chancel arch was described as pointed, with a projection in its south wall. There was also a pointed west door and a western double bell-cote.
The current church is a Grade II listed building, constructed of local slate rubble. It was built in 1872, to the designs of Middleton and Goodman, Cheltenham, and has not been substantially altered." Text Source: (
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