Churches On The Llŷn Peninsula
As it was on one of the main medieval pilgrim routes in Wales, there is a legacy of some amazing churches on the Llŷn Peninsula. The goal of the pilgrimage – Bardsey Island, or Ynys Enlli – still draws pilgrims to this day, and visiting some of these churches is one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
Bardsey was known as the Isle of 20,000 Saints, the burial place of thousands of holy men – not necessarily all saints, but likely monks – who devoted their life to their faith at the Abbey on the Island founded by St Cadfan in the 6th century AD. In 1119 Pope Callixtus II issued an edict stating that three pilgrimages to Bardsey would bring the equivalent spiritual benefits of a single journey to Rome. So the pilgrimage route prospered for more than 400 years afterwards, until the reformation under Henry VIII.
In this guide I’ll describe nine of the best Llŷn Peninsula churches to visit, and also advise you how to get to each, when they are likely to be open and what to see nearby. Apart from the two largest churches here, at Clynnog Fawr and Aberdaron, you’ll need your own transport to reach most of these churches.
You can also visit some of these churches in between visits to the many beaches on Llŷn, and some of them are on the Coast Path. I hope you find the guide helpful.
St Beuno’s, Clynnog Fawr
One of the great medieval churches of Wales
St Beuno is one of the most important Celtic saints in Wales, and he founded a clas – a monastic community – in Clynnog Fawr, on the north coast of the Llŷn, in the early 7th century. He was also the uncle of St Winefride (Gwenfrewi in Welsh), whom he is said to have restored to life after she was beheaded.
Clynnog Fawr is one of the major stops on the medieval pilgrimage route to Bardsey Island, and stands close to the north coast of the peninsula on one of its main roads, the A499. Thousands of pilgrims would have stopped there each year, and the church (like others to the south) would have accumulated considerable wealth as a result. Some of this would have been kept in St Beuno’s Chest, a large wooden box that you can see in the church.
The present building dates from the late 15th and 16th centuries, and is in the Perpendicular Gothic style of the period. A typical characteristic of this is the ornate tracery in the windows. It’s a very large, spacious church, whitewashed inside but which feels surprisingly empty as there’s very little in the way of decoration. But this doesn’t detract in any way – this is one of the finest churches in Wales, and one of the most historically significant in the country too.
Getting there: The church and village are on the main A499 road south from Caernarfon, from where it’s a short, easy drive. Otherwise, the hourly 12 bus service between Caernarfon and Pwllheli stops outside the church.
Where To Stay – Nant Gwrtheyrn – peace and tranquillity in remote former quarrying village a few miles from Clynnog Fawr, with rooms or suites with sea or mountain views
St Baglan, Llanfaglan
A rare near-perfect example of a Welsh llan
You see the prefix ‘Llan’ on countless place names around Wales. It’s often interpreted as ‘church’ or ‘the church of’, So if somewhere is called Llanfair, it normally has a church dedicated to St Mary (Mair in Welsh – the first letter is mutated to ‘f’ – so llan + fair = Church of St Mary). But llan means something slightly different – a walled enclosure around a church.
Very few intact llannau survive around Wales. We used to use Caernarfon airport as a stop for photography and filming flights around North Wales, and I noticed a llan nearby, in a field close to the shoreline on Foryd Bay, between Caernarfon and the airfield. I did a little research and found that it is Llanfaglan Church, dedicated to St Baglan.
Very little is known about Baglan other than he lived in the 6th or 7th century. The church was probably built in the 13thcentury, but there is an inscribed stone, possibly dating from the 6th century, above the south door of the church.
It was restored in the 18th century, complete with rare Georgian furnishings including box pews. Most British churches underwent some restoration during the Victorian era (1837-1901) but Llanfaglan avoided this sometimes damaging attention. As a result it has scarcely changed in 230 years or more.
The church was the venue of the funeral of Lord Snowdon, formerly Antony Armstrong-Jones, who lived nearby at Plas Dinas. He is buried in the family plot in the churchyard. Also look out for the ‘pirate’s grave’ with the skull and crossbones – more likely a ‘memento mori’, a reminder of death awaiting us all.
Where To Stay – Plas Dinas Country House – wonderful country house, one of the best hotels in North Wales
The church is no longer in use, but is in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches charity.
Getting there: The OS grid reference is SH 455606. Drive to Llanfaglan along the Aber Foreshore Road from Caernarfon, then pull over close to the church. It’s a short walk across the field from there to the church.
St Beuno, Pistyll
Tiny, gorgeous church with superb views over Caernarfon Bay
Like Clynnog Fawr, the pilgrims’ church at Pistyll is dedicated to St Beuno, one of the most prominent early Welsh saints.
It’s a very simple, humble church with a small bellcote, dating from the 12th century. The intricately carved font is believed to be older, and may have been brought there from elsewhere.
Interestingly, both times I have visited, the floor of the nave of the church has been covered with long grasses and reeds, a tradition that goes back centuries. This, together with the rough-hewn stonework of the interior, gave me a feeling that the church was far older than it actually is. A wonderful, timeless place. Even with the QR codes on the information post outside.
Getting there: The church is on the B4417 Llanaelhaearn to Nefyn road. Bus 27 from Nefyn to Llithfaen (and on to Pwllheli) runs past the church 4 times daily in each direction. Driving it is far more convenient.
Nearby: The church is a two-mile drive to the small car park for Tre’r Ceiri, the spectacular Iron Age hillfort and village on the summit of one of the peaks of Yr Eifl.
Where To Stay: Gwesty Nanhoron Arms Hotel – excellent hotel right in the centre of Nefyn, I’ve always had a great stay here
St Gwynhoedl, Llangwnnadl
Unusual triple-naved church that also catered to pilgrims to Bardsey
Llangwnnadl Church, a mile inland from Porth Colmon and the north coast, is after Clynnog and Aberdaron the grandest of the churches on the Llŷn Peninsula. Named after a local early Celtic saint, who was buried in the church, it’s a huge church for such a small village, with three naves – almost unheard-of outside churches in large towns and cities at the time.
The Perpendicular style windows indicate that the church was largely built in the 15th and 16th centuries, although the origins were most likely far earlier. Two of the three naves were added in the 16th century.
Llangwnnadl was one of the main pilgrim stops on the way to Bardsey, and the added significance of its own saint’s shrine would have helped boost donations to fund such a large church. Part of what may have been Gwynhoedl’s gravestone is embedded in the south wall of the church. A 6th-century bell believed to belong to him is now held in the National Museum in Cardiff, but a cast of this can also be seen in the church. A fascinating place to visit.
Getting there; It’s 500 metres off the B4417 road – follow the sign to Llangwnnadl and Porth Colmon. The 8B and 17B buses also stop close to this turn-off.
St Engan, Llanengan
16th-century gem and burial place of another Celtic saint
The village of Llanengan is two miles and a world away from the nearby busy (and pricey) seaside village of Abersoch. It’s nice to be back on Planet Llŷn, a quiet village that probably hasn’t changed much in a hundred years or more, centred on its church and the pub, the welcoming Sun Inn just across the road from it.
The church is dedicated to St Engan, another of the early Celtic saints who spread the Gospel in this remote corner of Wales. Many churches in Wales are the only ones in the world dedicated to a particular saint, and this is true of Llanengan.
The name seems to be a slight corruption of St Einion Frenin, who was also a ‘brenin’, a king or ruler in the area. He is said to be the brother of another notable Welsh saint, Seiriol, who was renowned for his monastery at Penmon and cell on nearby Puffin Island, off Anglesey.
St Engan’s was also a prominent and prosperous church frequented by pilgrims to Bardsey. A church was founded soon after the time of Engan, but there is no trace of this. The present building was begun in the 13th century, but mostly rebuilt between 1520 and 1534. It’s one of the larger churches on the Llŷn Peninsula, with two broad naves for the congregation. Remarkably, two rood screens survive (most were destroyed during the Reformation) and both were built only a few years before this tumultuous change took hold in Wales and England.
While visiting, also look out for the rare painted ceiling in the sanctuary of the chapel in the north aisle.
Getting there: A tiny number of buses run some days from Abersoch to Llanengan – it’s quicker to walk. Otherwise, as suggested elsewhere, you need your own vehicle to visit these smaller churches on the Llŷn Peninsula.
Where To Stay – Tan-y-Fynwent – beautiful 2-bedroom holiday home in Llanengan village
St Gwynin, Llandegwning
The tiny church at Llandegwning, a mile south of the village of Botwnnog, is now deconsecrated, like many around the country due to falling congregation numbers. It immediately caught my eye on one of my recce trips around the Llŷn because of its round tower, a rarity in Wales.
Another unusual feature for Anglican churches in Wales is the shape of the windows in the south aisle, which are more common in Nonconformist chapels in Wales.
The church was rebuilt in 1840, at the beginning of the Victorian period, in simple Gothic style, with the nave and chancel under a single roof. The font is the oldest part of the church, dating from the 13th or 14th centuries. Some of the seating in the nave consists of box pews similar to those at Llanfaglan (see second entry in the article).
Getting there: by minor road off the B4413, one mile south of Botwnnog.
St Maelrhys, Llanfaelrhys
Remote church where one of Wales’ foremost poets worshipped after his retirement
Little more than a mile from Aberdaron, Llanfaelrhys church is hidden away near a clifftop above Porth Ysgo beach. Dedicated to St Maelrhys, a local 7th century saint, it’s one of two churches on the Llŷn Peninsula from which you can see part of Bardsey Island – something you can’t do from the final stop for most pilgrims, St Hywyn’s Church in Aberdaron.
It’s a wonderfully simple church that reminds me of tiny St Mary’s Church in Capel y Ffin (see my Churches in the Black Mountains itinerary), with a clear east window framing a view of the mountain beyond, a magnificent sight.
Llanfaelrhys church was (indeed still is) part of the parish of Aberdaron, of which renowned Welsh poet R S Thomas was vicar between 1967 and 1978. After his retirement he continued to live near Rhiw, and he still worshipped and conducted services (as retired clergy often do) at St Maelrhys’ Church. A small upstairs room – Llofft R S Thomas – above the church houses a collection of literature and media related to Thomas and his work.
His wife, Elsi Eldridge, is buried in the churchyard.
Opening times: Usually 8.00 am to 5.00 pm April to October.
Getting there: The OS grid reference is SH 210 268. It’s just off the Aberdaron to Rhiw road that runs parallel to the coast, and is a 2-3 minute walk from Porth Ysgo, one of the less frequented Llŷn Peninsula beaches. You’ll need to walk the Coast Path or drive to get there.
St Hywyn, Aberdaron
The last port of call for pilgrims before departing for Bardsey
St Hywyn’s is one of the most spectacularly sited churches in Wales, built into a steep hillside overlooking the fantastic Aberdaron Beach. Named after a Breton saint who accompanied St Cadfan, founder of the first monastery on Bardsey, the church was one of the wealthiest on Llŷn, which is reflected in its relatively substantial size.
Two 5th or 6th-century stones in the church were discovered near Aberdaron in the 18th century. Each commemorates a priest – one named Senacus, the other Veracius. The rest of the church dates from the 12th century – note the Norman (Romanesque) west door, the only one from this period on the Llŷn. As with other churches on the Llŷn Peninsula, it was extended in the 16th century, with the addition of a second nave.
The church also has a claim to literary fame. It was the mother church of the last parish of R S Thomas, one of the finest Welsh poets of the 20th century. As at Llanfaelrhys, there is a small exhibit on him and his work in the church. And if you happen to chance on the late Byron Rogers’ biography of him, The Man Who Went Into The West, buy it – it’s one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.
Getting there: It’s right on Aberdaron seafront. If you’re not driving, bus 17 runs several times a day from Pwllheli to Aberdaron.
Where To Stay: Gwesty Ty Newydd Aberdaron – excellent 4-star hotel overlooking the superb beach, and a few steps from St Hywyn’s Church
Churches On The Llyn Peninsula – Final Thoughts
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this guide and that you manage to seek out some of these churches next time you visit the Llŷn. It’s a magical part of Wales, and here are some more guides to the area for you to peruse:
Llŷn Peninsula
Llŷn Peninsula beaches – from Porth Dinllaen to Portmeirion, some of the best beaches in Wales
Visiting Porthdinllaen – the stunning fishing hamlet with one of the best beach pubs in Europe
Things To Do In Aberdaron – the wondrous Land’s End of North Wales
Things To Do In Caernarfon – there’s more to this coastal town than one of the best medieval castles on the planet
Things To Do In Criccieth – lovely beach town with a Castle and stunning mountain views
Things To Do In Portmeirion – a touch of Portofino on the edge of Snowdonia
Churches In Wales and The UK
Best Churches in Wales to visit
Churches In The Black Mountains Itinerary
0 Fascinating Gower Churches To Visit – ancient churches of the Gower Peninsula in Wales
Visiting Chester Cathedral – one of the treasures of northwest England
25 Most Beautiful Churches In London
Visiting Westminster Abbey – London’s great royal church
9 Smallest Cathedrals In The UK
32 Most Beautiful Churches in Europe
Best Places in North Wales
Best things to do in Conwy – A stunning UNESCO Heritage town on the edge of Snowdonia National Park
Betws-y-Coed – A picturesque Welsh mountain town in the spectacular Snowdonia National Park
Things To Do In Harlech – World Heritage Castle, one of the best beaches in Wales, and much more
Things To Do In Llangollen – gorgeous riverside town, one of the highlights of North East Wales
Things To Do In Barmouth – if you find a more beautiful setting for a seaside town, please let me know
15 Best Villages In North Wales To Visit – Beddgelert, Betws-y-Coed and many more
North Wales Travel Guide – everything you need to know about travelling in North Wales
Llanddwyn Island – One of the most special of all Welsh islands
Anglesey beaches & coastline – Home to some of the best beaches in the UK
Best things to do on Anglesey – the largest of Welsh Islands