There are hundreds of amazing churches in Wales to visit – and I’ve spent a great many years doing so. Many have their origins in the Golden Age of Celtic Christianity in the 5th and 6th centuries AD. They vary from one of the finest cathedrals in Britain to tiny remote country churches that have survived as centuries-old time capsules.
In this guide to the best churches in Wales to visit, I’ve selected over 30 that I’d recommend going out of your way to see. I begin with the six Anglican cathedrals in Wales before showing you parish churches, chapels and ruined abbeys from all corners of the country. And so that you get to see the best of Wales, expect a good few of these to be rather ‘out of the way’.
Enjoy!
Cathedrals in Wales
St David’s Cathedral
The grandest church in Wales, founded by the country’s patron saint
St David’s Cathedral – Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi – is the mother of all churches in Wales. It was built on the site of a 6th-century monastery founded by Dewi Sant – known beyond Offa’s Dyke as St David – the patron saint of Wales.
Whereas some great Cathedrals – like Chartres in France, and Cologne in Germany – were built in prominent places where they could be seen from afar, St David’s Cathedral was built NOT to be seen. The first time I visited, well over 40 years ago, I couldn’t help wondering,”Where is It?” I eventually found it at the bottom of a hill, hidden from the sight of passing marauding Vikings.
It’s one of the most remote churches in Wales, and the grandest in the country. The sloping nave, with intricate Norman arches and a stunning oak roof, is magnificent. The central tower vault is the highest – and one of the most beautiful – in Wales, and the choir and chancel are a delight.
Yet St David’s has a home-spun, rough-hewn grandeur about it. Look closely at the exterior stones, many of which were quarried from nearby cliffs and beaches. The Cathedral’s hidden setting out of sight of pillaging passers-by is a surprising asset, as it’s just across the Alun stream from the impressive 14th-century Bishop’s Palace. And for a fortnight or so each springtime, the churchyard is one of the best places to see daffodils in Wales, the ancient Cathedral a superb backdrop.
See Also: 15 Best Things to Do In St David’s, Wales
Llandaff Cathedral
A treasure spanning fifteen centuries in the suburbs of Cardiff
I’ve visited hundreds of cathedrals across Europe and the world, but few have made as powerful impression as my home Cathedral in Llandaff, a suburb of Cardiff two miles from the city centre.
The Cathedral was founded in the 6th century AD and was the destination of one of the most important pilgrimages in Wales. Two of its early bishops, Dyfrig (Dubricius) and Teilo, became saints, assuring a steady flow of visitors seeking miracles at their tombs.
Llandaff Cathedral is like a guide to the architecture and art of the Middle Ages and modern era in one building. Two sublime Norman (Romanesque) arches survive from the early medieval Cathedral, as does the Early English Gothic west front with its three clear lancet windows.
The Lady Chapel, behind the high altar, is perhaps the most sublime example of Decorated Gothic architecture in Wales, with its intricate window and painted stone vault. The Perpendicular late English Gothic period is represented by the Jasper Tower, on the northern side of the west front, with its characteristic ornate pinnacles of golden stone.
But it’s one of the more recent additions that made the strongest impression on my young self. It was an evening in early November, at dusk, when I entered through the west door and saw something unlike I had seen anything I had seen before or since. A statue (Sir Jacob Epstein’s Majestas, or Christ in Majesty) mounted on an ornate (partly gilded) organ case atop a parabolic arch. It was one of my first tastes of modern art, and I was captivated by it, and still am.
The Majestas came about following the partial destruction of Llandaff Cathedral by a parachute bomb that detonated close by in January 1941. It’s one of the less-known, but most fascinating, World War Two sites in Britain and Europe, and it’s well worth the trip to see one of the most amazing rebirths of a building in Britain after the Second World War.
See Also: 20 Famous Landmarks In Cardiff
Bangor Cathedral
The oldest Cathedral in the British Isles
Bangor Cathedral was, according to tradition, founded by St Deiniol in around 525 AD, making it the oldest Cathedral in Britain. Deiniol was one of the most prominent Celtic saints in North Wales during the 6th century, which is often called the golden age of Celtic Christianity.
The Cathedral was within the key Welsh kingdom of Gwynedd and was twice destroyed by English kings – John and Edward I – over the course of the 13th century. So nothing remains of the early Cathedral, nor indeed anything from the first 700 years of its history. The earliest surviving part of the building is the 14th-century nave.
The interior of the church – restored during the 19th century – is modest compared to other Welsh cathedrals, and some of the parish churches I’ve written about in the rest of the article. The most notable feature is the 15th-century carved wooden Mostyn Christ, similar to Pensive Christ figures most commonly found in Central Europe, especially Bohemia and Saxony. The figure was one of the finest of its kind in Britain. The Christ Is wearing his crown of thorns and seems tormented by pain and misery.
St Asaph Cathedral
Britain’s smallest Cathedral
St Asaph Cathedral is the smallest cathedral in the UK, and also one of the oldest, dating back to the 6th century. It’s believed to have been founded by St Kentigern, also known as St Mungo, the patron saint (and traditional founder) of the city of Glasgow.
Much of the present church dates from the 15th century, with a wide-ranging restoration completed in the 19thcentury. The church had been rebuilt between 1284 and 1392, only for a century’s work to be wiped out by rebel Welsh Prince Owain Glyndwr, who ransacked it in 1402.
St Asaph has a very important role in Welsh ecclesiastical history as William Morgan, the first man to translate the Bible into Welsh, was Bishop of St Asaph in the late 16th century. His Bible is one of the Cathedral’s treasures. If you’re interested in learning more about Bishop Morgan I strongly recommend a visit to his former home, Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant, which is owned and operated by the National Trust, just outside Penmachno, near Betws-y-Coed.
The 16th-century parish church, dedicated to St Kentigern and St Asaph, is just down the high street from the Cathedral, is also well worth a visit.
Brecon Cathedral
Former priory and parish church which became a Cathedral in 1923
The priory and church that became Brecon Cathedral was founded in 1093 by a monk from Battle Abbey. It became a Cathedral in 1923, serving the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon, which extends from Offa’s Dyke (the border with England) to the Gower Peninsula.
The predominantly Gothic church served first as the priory church, and following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, as the parish church of the town of Brecon.
The oldest part of the Cathedral is the 12th-century font, while much of the body of the building originally dates from the late 13th or early 14th-century – the tall narrow Early English lancet windows are typical of this period.
Anyone with an interest in military history should seek out the Havard Chapel, also known as the South Wales Borderers Chapel. The town is home to this army regiment, which fought in the Anglo-Zulu War, and both World Wars. One of the regiment flags from the Battle of Rorke’s Drift in 1879.
The Cathedral is a short drive or walk north of the town centre, on Priory Hill, the B4520.
St Woolos Cathedral, Newport
Much-overlooked Cathedral hidden on a hilltop above Wales’ third-largest city
It’s so easy to miss Newport’s Cathedral. St Woolos – named after a local Welsh saint – isn’t even the Cathedral of the Diocese of Newport, rather the Diocese of Monmouth. It’s probably the least-known among the cathedrals of Wales, but quite a surprise awaits if you find your way inside.
St Woolos is the Anglicised version of Gwynllyw, a 5th-century king and saint with important family connections. He married St Gwladys (albeit after abducting her, hardly a saintly means of seduction) and was brother to St Petroc (widely venerated in Cornwall) and father to St Cadoc, one of the most important Welsh saints. He became a hermit in later life, setting up his humble cell near the summit of steep Stow Hill, where the Cathedral named after him stands.
The church only became a Cathedral in 1930, having previously been a parish church. And it’s one of the hidden gems of Wales. Enter via the west door, at the base of the 15th-century tower, and you pass through St Mary’s Chapel, from which the exquisite Romanesque (Norman) door leads into the nave. The arches of the nave are also rounded, dating from the Norman period (12th or early 13th century). The roof, dating from 1402, is one of the oldest in Wales.
The east end of the church is another surprise, with a grey marble-style mural and golden stained-glass roundel. It’s the work of John Piper, with Patrick Reyntiens collaborating on the stained glass. Their most famous work is the stunning Baptistery window in Coventry Cathedral. There is also a rare ‘leper window’ on the north side of the chancel through which leprosy sufferers could view services.
Best Churches In South Wales To Visit
Tintern Abbey
Romantic ruined church and a main attractions of the 18th-century Wye Tour
The ruined church of Tintern Abbey is one of the best places to visit on the River Wye, and one of the first tourist attractions in the British Isles. The Wye Tour originated in boat trips down the Wye by the rector of Ross-on-Wye, John Egerton for his friends. Eventually it grew into a two-day itinerary, where visitors would stop to paint Picturesque riverside scenes.
And nowhere was more Picturesque than Tintern Abbey, the Romantic ruin of a 14th-century Decorated Gothic church stripped bare and left to ruin in the wake of Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. It inspired the likes of JMW Turner, who visited it early in his career, and William Wordsworth, who wrote about the countryside around the Abbey after visiting in 1801.
Tintern Abbey is every bit as captivating a sight today, one of the most beautiful UK landmarks. It’s magnificent at any time, but it at its best on a misty autumn morning, just as the sun peeks above the forest ridge to cast its rays across the valley below.
St Issui’s Church, Partrishow
Rare survival in the backwoods of the Black Mountains
I have included the following four churches in a separate article, the Churches of the Black Mountains itinerary. They can all be visited in a day, and are within easy reach from Crickhowell, Abergavenny or Hay-on-Wye.
St Issui’s church in Partrishow is the most isolated of these four sites but, ironically, is perhaps the best-known. It has long been included in guidebooks to Wales, and its fame has gradually, slowly spread. Its visitor book is full of names of travellers from all over the world.
All this for a tiny hillside church surrounded by farmland, only reachable down narrow high-hedged lanes. The area was once the home of a hermit, St Issui, whose holy well is just down the hill from the church. He would have lived there around the 6th century AD.
The only church in the world that bears his name was built in the 11th and 12th centuries, then reconstructed in the 14th century. The decorations within, including the extraordinary carved wooden rood screen, are probably from a century later still.
The rood screen is Partrishow’s main claim to (relative) fame, and it’s an extremely rare survival. Most of these were destroyed by the zealots (or rather vandals) of Henry VIII, and only a few exceptions like Partrishow’s survived. We don’t know quite how this came about, but it gives you a hint of what many more churches in Wales and England would have looked but for the actions of Henry VIII.
Another rare survival in the church is the Doom painting on the north wall. The skeleton figure is holding a spade and a scythe, and such paintings were common in medieval churches, reminders of the end of life which would eventually come to one and all.
Where To Stay: The Bear Crickhowell – medieval inn in one of the loveliest towns in Wales
St Martin’s Church, Cwmyoy
The wonkiest church in Wales – and quite possibly the world
This church on the east side of the Llanthony Valley is one of the most astounding buildings in Wales. It was built on very unstable ground, with the result that the tower, porch, and chancel are all leaning in different directions. It is a wonder that it all stands together as one.
It’s striking enough from outside, but the interior is where it gets even more disconcerting. I once directed a photographic shoot in the church (we were documenting the stained glass and some funerary monuments by the local Brute family of stonemasons). The photographer had never seen anywhere like it. His spirit level – used to ensure a straight horizon – wasn’t a lot of use in a building where everything is askew at a crooked angle. I had to double-check every frame at his insistence, something he had never had to do in a 30-year career.
So if you’re nursing a bit of a hangover, you may get an additional case of the wobbles. A wonderful place, one of the most charming churches in Wales.
Llanthony Priory
Less renowned than Tintern, but more remote and romantic
I recently sent an Aussie friend on her trip to Wales with Tintern Abbey at the top of her list. But I thought I’d be doing her a disservice by not suggesting the hour’s drive north to this ruined Augustinian priory church in the pin-drop silence and solitude of the Vale of Ewyas.
Llanthony – the shortened form of Llanddewi Nant Hodni – was founded in the 12th century, the second priory on the site. The church was one of the finest in Wales, a mixture of Norman (Romanesque) and Gothic, with building likely continuing until the late 13th or early 14th century.
The church, like countless others around England and Wales, fell victim to Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. The body of the church was gradually stripped away, leaving only the west towers, nave arches and parts of the central tower and chancel intact. The Priory’s Infirmary (sick bay) was preserved, and now serves as the Church of St David.
I’m not a religious person, but if you were looking for God, I’d suggest that you start by visiting this extraordinary place. The row of nave arches stands below the fields and moorland of the Hatterall Ridge, which forms the border with England (and carries the Offa’s Dyke Path) in these parts. The 19th-century house built into one of the towers serves as the Llanthony Priory Hotel and pub, where you can enjoy a meal and drink or stay in one of the oldest hotels in Wales.
St Mary’s, Capel y Ffin
One of the tiniest – and most beautiful – churches in Wales
Capel y Ffin – the chapel on the border – is one of the most exquisite churches in Wales. It’s a tiny chapel, just 8 metres long and 4 metres wide, built in the 18th century to replace an earlier church on the site. It’s more reminiscent of a Nonconformist chapel (there’s one of these just down the hill) than a church, and the windows either side of the doorway rather resemble the face of an owl. 19th-century diarist Francis Kilvert, who served as curate in Clyro, just north of nearby Hay-on-Wye, agreed!
The interior is wonderfully simple, barely decorated save for a clear east window with a view of the Hatterall Ridge. An inscription from Psalm 121 is etched into the lower part of the window – ‘I will lift mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my strength.’
And on our last visit the front pews were filled with teddy bears – a wonderful touch indeed. If you’re visiting Hay-on-Wye don’t miss the short drive up to the Gospel Pass, and down to this and the other churches in the area.
Ewenny Priory
This near-forgotten priory is one of the loveliest Romanesque churches in Wales. It’s located a few miles from the town of Bridgend, on the northwestern edge of the Vale of Glamorgan.
The church and Benedictine monastery were founded by Maurice de Londres in 1141. The church is a rare survivor of the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1536 to 1540); part of it was incorporated into a new house built next to it, but much of the building was used as a parish church.
The interior is simple, sparsely decorated Romanesque, with much of the body of the church intact for 900 years. It has undergone restoration in recent years, including a new glass screen behind the altar which I find jarring, and detracts from the whole.
Some buildings from the rest of the Priory survive, including part of the exterior wall of the complex and a medieval gatehouse.
St Illtud, Llantwit Major
The centre of early Celtic Christian scholarship in Wales
This outstanding church in the Vale of Glamorgan has been described as the ‘Westminster Abbey of Wales’, though the Oxbridge of Wales might be a better description.
St Illtud founded a church and college early in the 6th century AD, and it is believed to have attracted some of the great names of Celtic Christianity, including St David, St Samson of Dol, St Baglan, the historian Gildas and North Walian King Maelgwn Gwynedd. The town’s Welsh name is Llanilltud Fawr, the large religious settlement of Illtud (pronounced Ih-l-tid).
The church was rebuilt in Gothic style in the 13th century, and was one of the most prestigious churches in Wales, with two naves. The ruined Galilee Chapel, which stood at the western end of the church, was restored around 20 years ago, and is now used as a small Museum for the church’s collection of ancient Celtic crosses and stones.
Where to Stay: The Great House Guest House – magnificent 15th-century house with two large bedrooms
St Ilan, Eglwysilan, Caerphilly
Very few of you will have ever heard of Eglwysilan. It’s a hilltop hamlet above the Aber Valley village of Abertridwr, around four miles from Caerphilly town centre, and around twelve miles from Cardiff. And for most of my lifetime it was a wonderful locals’ secret.
Eglwysilan consisted of a couple of scattered farms, a long-established pub (The Rose and Crown) and St Ilan’s Church, which was founded in the 12th century.
The church and pub had a longstanding symbiotic relationship of sorts, and kept each other going. The church would fill for baptisms, weddings and funerals, and the congregation would retire en masse to the pub next door afterwards. The Rose and Crown was also a regular stop on a 15-mile hilltop walk I regularly took visiting friends on when I used to live in Caerphilly.
Sadly the pub closed in 2021, and the church – with a regular Sunday congregation of two or three souls – closed two years later in December 2023. The building survives, and the churchyard contains the graves of many of the victims of the Senghenydd colliery disasters of 1901 and 1913.
Nobody really knows a lot about St Ilan, other than he was an obscure Celtic saint, like many commemorated across Wales. A secondary school in Caerphilly was named after him – this closed in 2007.
See Also: 20 Best Things To Do In The South Wales Valleys
Best Churches in North Wales To Visit
St Beuno’s, Clynnog Fawr
The ‘Cathedral of the Llŷn Peninsula’
This superb church on the north coast of the Llŷn Peninsula was – indeed still is – one of the most important pilgrim stopping places on the route southwest to Ynys Enlli, Bardsey Island.
The church is believed to have been the site of a church and monastery founded by St Beuno (pronounced ‘Bay-noh), one of the most prominent Welsh saints. He is credited with raising his protegee Winefride from the dead after she was beheaded (see the Holywell entry below).
Much of the present church dates from the Perpendicular period of the latter 15th and early 16th centuries. It’s enormous for such a small village, but it owes its size to revenue from pilgrims’ contributions. Its large, plain whitewashed interior feels very bare, with relatively little decoration. Look out for the 16th-century wooden alms chest in which pilgrims’ donations were stored.
An essential stop on any Llŷn Peninsula itinerary.
Where To Stay: Plas Dinas Country House – exceptional hotel in the former home of Lord Snowdon
St Giles, Wrexham
One of the traditional Seven Wonders of Wales
St Giles – Eglwys Sant Silin – is rightly one of the most famous churches in Wales. Its superb Perpendicular Gothic tower, along with the bells of nearby All Saints’ Church in Gresford and the yew trees in Overton churchyard, are named three of the ‘Seven Wonders of Wales’ in a famous anonymously written 19th-century rhyme. Of these three, it’s ‘Wrexham steeple’ that most deserves the honour.
The church was largely rebuilt in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, and it’s believed that Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII, made a substantial donation towards this. Little expense was spared, with part of a Doom painting surviving above the chancel arch, and one of the finest wooden church roofs in Wales, adorned with angels.
The church is also home to the only memorial in Wales carved by Louis-Francois Roubiliac, and there are also stained-glass windows created by Pre-Raphaelite artist Sir Edward Burne-Jones – or at least his workshop.
St Giles has also had a long-standing connection – Elihu Yale, founder of one of the Ivy League universities, is buried in a tomb below the west tower.
If you enjoy St Giles, I strongly recommend a 20-minute train trip to visit the outstanding Chester Cathedral,one of many things to see in one of the most beautiful cities in England.
See Also: 15 Best Things To Do In Wrexham
St Hywyn’s Church, Aberdaron
The seaside church of St Hywyn’s in Aberdaron is the final stop for pilgrims before embarking on the short (but frequently postponed) journey to Bardsey Island.
It looks like a small chapel from the hill above, but at beach level, it’s a surprisingly imposing edifice. Part of it dates back to the 12th century, including the Romanesque west door. The parish enjoyed considerably prosperity during the medieval heyday of pilgrimages to Bardsey, when a second nave was added. A church ten miles north in Llangwnnadl went one better, with a total of three naves.
The church also has an important place in Welsh literary history. It was the last parish of the Reverend R S Thomas, one of the finest Welsh poets of the 20th century, who wrote in his first language, English.
Where To Stay: Gwesty Ty Newydd – great 4-star hotel next door to the church, overlooking the fantastic beach
See Also: 12 Best Things To Do In Aberdaron
Porth Cwyfan
Anglesey’s Church In The Sea
Cribinau, in the cove of Porth Cwyfan on Anglesey’s west coast, is one of the most intriguing Welsh islands. It’s the location of the 12th-century church of St Cwyfan, also known by his original Irish name St Kevin.
The church was originally built on a peninsula, the neck of which was gradually eroded away by the sea. Eventually a sea wall had to be built to protect the church, the sea having washed away several of the graves that once surrounded it.
The church isn’t usually open, but is one of the most memorable sights on the Anglesey section of the Wales Coast Path. It’s two miles from the nearest village, Aberffraw.
St Padrig’s Church, Llanbadrig, Anglesey
The northernmost church in Wales – with a wonderful surprise inside
Few churches in Wales have as dramatic a setting as St Padrig’s in Llanbadrig, on the northern coast of Anglesey. The tiny medieval church stands in a large clifftop churchyard, at the starting point of one of the best Anglesey walks, along the rugged cliffs that continue east to the ruins of china clay works at Porth Llanlleiana, and Porth Wen Brickworks beyond.
It is reputed to have been founded by St Patrick himself in 440 AD, when he was supposedly forced ashore here during a storm. This can’t be corroborated, but it’s the one place in Wales with the Welsh variant of his name, Padrig, in the place name, so there may be some connection.
The church was restored in 1884 at the behest of Henry Stanley, 3rd Baron of Alderley, who was a convert to Islam and a significant landowner in the Holyhead area. The stained-glass windows installed at this time have simple patterned motifs common in Islamic, but not Christian, art. And there are also some delightful blue patterned tiles, something you’d expect to see somewhere like Morocco. It’s very rare to see something like this in such a remote Celtic outpost – but it’s a welcome sight indeed.
St Winefride’s Well, Holywell
Roman Catholic shrine where beheaded saint was miraculously brought back to life
This Well is one of the most important Roman Catholic shrines in the country, and one of the most intriguing places to visit in North East Wales. It has attracted pilgrims for over 900 years, drawn by the hope of miraculous cures in the holy water flowing from the holy well of St Winefride.
Known in Welsh as Gwenfrewi, this 7th-century martyr was beheaded after refusing the advances of a prince. A well is said to have sprung on the spot where her head fell, and it is then supposed to have been restored to her body by St Beuno, her mentor.
Unusually for Britain, the Well and Chapel above attracted pilgrims through and beyond the Reformation period under Henry VIII. The site is fascinating, with centuries-old graffiti carved by pilgrims who sought a cure there. A lady I met there claimed to have benefited from a miraculous cure there, saying that she wouldn’t have been alive but for St Winefride.
It’s well worth an hour of your time, as is the ruin of Basingwerk Abbey, less than a mile down the hill from the Well.
St Dyfnog’s Church Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch
Home to possibly the finest stained-glass window in Wales
This corner of North East Wales – on the Ruthin to Denbigh road – was once the refuge of a hairshirt-wearing hermit who built a wooden church on the site in the 6th century. The waters of St Dyfnog’s Well were famous for their curative powers, attracting hopeful pilgrims perhaps also seeking saintly help at nearby St Winefride’s Well in Holywell. And the donations left by these pilgrims financed the most famous – and very possibly – the outstanding – stained-glass window in Wales.
Much of the present church dates from the 16th century when English Perpendicular Gothic was still predominant. This includes the famous Jesse Window, which can be found at the east end of the north aisle of the church.
The Jesse Tree is a popular motif in medieval Christian art. It shows the ancestry lineage from Jesse, father of King David, to Jesus. The window was completed around 1533, just a few years before the Reformation and Dissolution of the Monasteries under king Henry VIII. According to some accounts it was dismantled and concealed for safekeeping during the 1642-47 Civil War.
If you’re passionate about discovering churches in Wales, I’d definitely add St Dyfnog’s to your bucket list for the Jesse Window alone.
Rug Chapel, Corwen
Astonishing 17th-century private chapel near Corwen
This chapel (Its name is pronounced ‘reeg’) was the private place of worship Royalist Colonel William Salesbury, who spent six months in vain trying to fend off the ‘Roundhead’ Parliamentary army from Denbigh Castle.
The exterior is simple and sparsely decorated, but you step inside to another world. As a whole, it’s an astonishing work of art, with an intricately painted roof, four beautiful carved angels, There is also a superb memento mori style memorial, presumably from the same period.
At the time of writing (early 2026) opening times are sporadic. It’s currently open on certain days – to be announced on the Cadw website – and this is apparently due to ‘staffing issues’. Before visiting, check on the Rug Chapel web page, or if you’re at an ongoing loose end, contact Cadw to offer your services as a custodian!
Where To Stay: Tyddyn Llan Restaurant With Rooms – outstanding 5-star 5 miles from Corwen
Llangar Old Church
Remarkable centuries-old church with surviving wall paintings
All Saints Church, in the hamlet of Llangar, sits on a hillside above a bend in the River Dee just to the south of Corwen.
It was formerly a parish church now only used occasionally for services, and it’s under the care of the Welsh government department Cadw.
The church was probably founded in the 13th century, but the present building dates from the 15th century onwards, with some parts as recent as the 18th century. The most notable features inside are the wall paintings, particularly the skeletal Dance of Death on the north wall of the nave. The outlines of other paintings – probably Biblical scenes – also remain.
Opening times are currently restricted, as is the case for nearby Capel Rug. Check the web page listed in the previous section for opening days, which at the present time are only going to be between May and August.
Best Churches In Mid Wales To Visit
St Anno’s Church, Leanne
It’s so easy to miss St Anno’s Church, hidden in trees down a track off the busy A483 Llandrindod Wells to Newtown road. But keep an eye out for the sign if you’re passing this way as you’ll find one of the most serene – and surprising – churches in Wales.
It was built in the 14th century above the River Ithon, and rebuilt almost entirely in the 19th century. It’s a very simple, humble church, adorned by an astonishing ornate 15th-century rood screen dividing the nave from the tiny chancel. It’s very much worthy of mention alongside the more famous example at Partrishow.
St Anno’s Church is also the subject of the poem Llananno by Welsh poet R S Thomas. He captures the atmosphere beautifully:
There are few services now; the screen
Has nothing to hide….
I keep my eyes open and am not dazzled,
So delicately does the light enter my soul
From the serene presence
That waits till I come next.”
Capel Soar y Mynydd
Renowned remote chapel off the scenic Abergwesyn Pass road through the wilds of Mid Wales
This Calvinistic Methodist chapel is reputedly the remotest place of worship in Wales, and I can confirm that it is in the middle of nowhere, or as our Aussie readers would say, in woop woop. It’s in what some call the Green Desert of Wales, the empty, barely populated heart of the Cambrian Mountains. And it’s close to one of the best scenic drives in Wales, the Abergwesyn Pass road from Llanwrtyd Wells to Tregaron.
The chapel’s name means ‘Zoar of the mountain’ – Zoar was where Lot is said to have sought refuge during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It was built in 1822-23, with much of the building material coming from stones found in the surrounding area. It served sheep farmers from the hills around, and the congregation was down to just two people by the late 1960s. However its future is secured, as it’s a grade II* listed building.
The chapel forms half of a long, low building, the rest of which is a small two-storey house, and it’s regularly whitewashed. Inside, the main feature is a simple inscription on the wall, ‘Duw cariad yw’ – ‘God is love’.
It’s not easy to find, but is just off the Abergwesyn Pass road, around two miles from the renowned landmark disused red telephone box in the middle of empty moorland.
Where To Stay: Y Talbot – the best hotel for many miles around, on Tregaron’s main square, with excellent food too
Strata Florida Abbey
One of the most evocative abbeys in Wales, on the western edge of the Cambrian Mountains
Little remains of remote Strata Florida Abbey (Abaty Ystrad Fflur) but what survives is beautiful. The Romanesque west doorway is the most substantial survival, framing the foundations of the Cistercian church and the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains beyond.
Some 14th-century tilework also remains in a sheltered section in the south transept, and in the parish churchyard next door, there is a memorial to 14th-century Welsh romantic poet Dafydd ap Gwilym, whose grave is somewhere there.
Strata Florida is at the western end of the Monks Trod, a long-distance path connecting it with Abbey Cwmhir.
Getting there: it’s one mile from the village of Pontrhydfendigaid
St David’s Church, Rhulen, Powys
This tiny 12th-century church served a scattered community of farmers in eastern Radnorshire, a few miles to the east of Builth Wells and one of the most beautiful sections of the river Wye.
It’s a simple, charming, whitewashed church with a wooden bellcote, its interior lit by just two windows, one on each side. It’s in very remote country, and I only chanced upon this gem while researching a ‘faith tourism’ project for Visit Wales over a decade ago. There are other interesting churches nearby, including the much larger church of St Cewydd in Aberedw.
Getting there: by minor road from Aberedw
Pennant Melangell
The shrine of the patron saint of hares
The remote church of Pennant Melangell is the goal of one of the most intriguing pilgrimages in Wales. Hidden away in the steep Tanat Valley, near the southern edge of the Berwyn Mountains, the church is home to one of just two intact saints’ shrines in Britain (the other is that of Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey). And St Melangell, presumably interred within, is a Celtic saint with a backstory straight out of Celtic myths like the Mabinogion.
Melangell is the patron saint of hares. Believed to be from Ireland, she lived in the Tanat valley where, one day, she encountered local Prince Brochwel out hunting with his dogs. She shielded a hare from him, and he was impressed by this, deciding to donate the surrounding land to her. Thereafter she founded a small monastic community.
The church dedicated to her was built in the 12th century, close to a Bronze Age burial site. The shrine also dates from around this time, although it had to be reassembled in the 20th century.
I first visited this remarkable church in 1983 or 1984, when the shrine was in a separate room in the apse of the church. The dividing wall has since been removed, and the shrine moved to a more central position in the chancel of the church. When I first visited the future of the church was in doubt. Now it’s beautifully maintained and thriving, with a steady stream of visitors from around the world. A joy to behold.
Getting there: by minor road from Llangynog in the Tanat Valley
Where To Stay: Lake Vyrnwy Hotel & Spa – one of the great hotels of Wales, overlooking the stunning lake with its famous tower inspired by a castle ion the River Rhine, less than half an hour’s drive from St Melangell’s Church
Best Churches In West Wales To Visit
St Govan’s Chapel
St Govan’s Chapel is one of the most remarkable churches in Wales, a tiny stone chapel tucked away in a cleft between two cliffs on the south Pembrokeshire coast.
Little is known about Govan, his true story lost in the mists of Celtic myths. He may have been Irish – we’ll never know for sure. One such tale tells of him finding refuge at this spot, the cliffs having opened for him so that he could land as he fled from pirates. He then lived a hermit’s life, building himself a small, rudimentary cell to provide shelter from the Atlantic storms which often pass this way.
The chapel can only be reached via a flight of 52 stone steps. Another tall traditional tale suggests that you never count the same number of steps coming back up as you do going down. Regardless, it’s an amazing place, comparable to Ireland’s Skellig Michael in terms of its out of the way location.
In terms of getting there, access is limited as the Chapel is on the edge of the Castlemartin Ministry of Defence firing range. Check this web page for firing times, when access to the Chapel and nearby Stack Rocks and the Green Bridge of Wales is not possible.
Where To Stay: Dial Inn, Lamphey – close to the superb Bishop’s Palace and an excellent base for exploring South Pembrokeshire
New Hedges Tin Church, Pembrokeshire
Most visitors would drive through New Hedges, a village just north of Tenby, to enjoy the charms of that wondrous seaside town, without seeing the tiny treasure just off the A478.
St Anne’s Church is one of the few ‘tin tabernacles’ left in Wales. These prefabricated tin churches were popular during the 19th century, but few survive in Wales. This church, dedicated in 1928, is one of the best-preserved in the country.
These churches weren’t popular with everyone. William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement (an influence on Art Nouveau in Europe), described them as ‘spreading like a pestilence’!
Visiting Churches in Wales – How To Get Around
The six cathedrals – and churches in major towns – that I’ve described can all be reached by public transport – either train or bus.
However, many of these churches can only be reached by bus. I doubt that a bus has ever been to Partrishow, Porth Cwyfan or Pennant Melangell, but you can get surprisingly close to most of these churches by public transport.
I’ve included information on reaching each church in the relevant section, but chances are that you’ll need a car to get around.
More Places To Visit In Wales
Wales is packed with outstanding places to visit, and these articles are great introductions to the country:
Wales Bucket List – 40 best places to see and things to do in Wales
20 Best Castles In North Wales
35 Best Castles In South Wales
A470 Road Trip – the ultimate coast-to-coast road trip through Wales
23 Best Seaside Towns In Wales
Best Places To Visit In North Wales
Best Places To Visit In The Welsh Borders
Best Churches in Wales To Visit – Final Thoughts
I hope that you have enjoyed this article, and that inspires you to visit some of these extraordinary churches.
I have also written numerous articles on churches in Europe which may give you similar inspiration. Check out some of the following:
32 Most Beautiful Churches in Europe
25 Most Beautiful Churches In London
Visiting Westminster Abbey – London’s great royal church
10 Fascinating Gower Churches To Visit
Basilica of St Denis Paris – the world’s first Gothic church
La Sainte-Chapelle Paris – stained-glass ‘walls’ in one of the high points of French Gothic
14 Most Beautiful Churches in Venice
9 Most Beautiful Churches in Florence
15 Most Beautiful Churches in Santorini
Frauenkirche Dresden – the great Baroque church rebuilt from the rubble
Visiting Naumburg Cathedral – home to ‘the most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages’
Visiting Nikolaikirche Leipzig – the church that helped start the 1989 Revolution that brought down the Berlin Wall
22 Most Beautiful Churches in Prague
Kutná Hora Bone Church – the skeleton art of the Sedlec Ossuary
15 Most Beautiful Churches in Vienna
B Best Churches In Dresden To Visit
9 Best Churches in Berlin To Visit
5 Best Churches in Nuremberg To Visit
9 Most Beautiful Churches in Budapest
Visiting Agios Titos Church Heraklion – the finest church in the capital of Crete