St Anno's Church, Llananno facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Anno's Church, Llananno |
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| Church of St Anno, Llananno | |
"among the finest pieces of medieval screenwork in Wales"
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 St Anno's Church, Llananno
Location in Powys
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| 52°21′35″N 3°19′46″W / 52.3597°N 3.3294°W | |
| Location | Llananno, Powys |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Redundant |
| Founded | 14th century |
| Dedication | Saint Anno |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 29 July 2004 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roof |
The Church of St Anno is a very old church located in Llananno, Powys, Wales. It was built way back in the 1300s! This church is famous for its amazing medieval (meaning very old) wooden screen, called a rood screen. People say it's one of the best examples of craftsmanship in all of Wales. The church is a special Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important and protected. Today, the Friends of Friendless Churches look after it.
Contents
The Church's Story
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The Church of St Anno sits right next to the River Ithon. It's on the edge of the small village of Llananno. Even though it's very old, the church was mostly rebuilt. This happened in 1876 and 1877.
Who Rebuilt the Church?
A man named David Walker rebuilt the church. He was an architect from Liverpool. When he rebuilt it, he made sure to keep some of the original parts. The most important part he kept was the amazing rood screen. This screen is from the 1400s!
The Amazing Rood Screen
The rood screen is what makes this church so special. Cadw, a group that protects historic buildings in Wales, says it's "the most richly decorated and one of the most complete in Wales." Imagine how beautiful it must be!
What Does the Screen Look Like?
The screen has ten arches. In the middle, there's a main archway. Above the arches, there's a large gallery. This gallery has two big wooden beams called bressummers. These beams are above and below a central wall. This wall is carved with 25 figures. These figures show "Christ, Patriarchs, Kings and Prophets." These figures were added in the 1800s. The beams themselves are also carved. They show pictures of "fruit and foliage." The stems of these plants look like they are coming out of the mouths of serpents.
Where Else Can You See Screens Like This?
Experts say this screen is one of the best in Wales. It's part of a style from the "Newton school" of Welsh screen-carvers. You can see similar screens in other places. These include Newtown itself, Llanegryn in Gwynedd, and Daresbury in Cheshire. The screen has been fixed up a few times. It was restored when the church was rebuilt. It was also restored again in the 1960s.
The Church Building Itself
The church building is quite small and simple. It's made from grey limestone. It has a porch where you enter. There's also a small bell tower called a bell cote. St Anno's is a Grade II* listed building. This high rating is because of its "exceptional rood screen." This screen is a very important piece of history for the whole country.
