Llancillo Church facts for kids
Llancillo Church is a super old church in Herefordshire, England. It's near the border with Wales. This special building is surrounded by trees and fields.
The church is named after Saint Peter and sometimes St Tysilio. It was first built way back in the 11th century! That's over 900 years ago. Over time, parts of the church have been fixed up. A big restoration happened in the 1890s.
Inside, you can find a font from the 1200s and a pulpit from the 1600s. One of its bells might even be from the 1200s or even earlier!
History of Llancillo Church
People think this quiet spot was first used by a hermit (someone who lives alone for religious reasons) around the 500s. The oldest part of the church, called the chancel, was built in the 11th century. Most of the rest of the church was rebuilt in the 1600s.
In the 1890s, the church had a big makeover. This was part of a common trend called "Victorian restoration."
Even though Llancillo Church is in England, it used to be part of the Welsh Diocese of St David's. This changed in 1852 when it joined the Diocese of Hereford in England.
The church stopped holding regular services on December 22, 2006. In 2007, a group called the Friends of Friendless Churches took over. They now look after and restore this historic building.
Architecture and Features
Llancillo Church is made of sandstone with a slate roof. It has special stone decorations made from tufa. The church has two main parts: a chancel (the area near the altar) and a nave (where the people sit).
The chancel is about 14 feet (4.4 meters) long and 11 feet (3.4 meters) wide. The nave is much bigger, about 37 feet (11.2 meters) long and 15 feet (4.5 meters) wide. There's also a porch on the south side.
One of the bells in the bell tower might be from the 1200s or even older! The church also has a doorway built in the Tudor style.
Inside, you can see a baptismal font from the 1200s. The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, is made of oak and dates back to 1632.
Outside, in the churchyard, you can find the remains of a preaching cross from the 1300s. It has an eight-sided base. Nearby, there's a small hill that was once the site of a motte castle.
The church is also located on what's called a "ley line." This is a straight line that connects old places, as described by Alfred Watkins in his book, The Old Straight Track.
