St Elli's Church, Llanelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Elli |
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"monuments of unusually high quality"
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| Location | Llanelly, Monmouthshire |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | parish church |
| Founded | early 14th century |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 19 July 1963 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Llanelli |
| Deanery | Greater Brecon |
| Archdeaconry | Brecon |
| Diocese | Swansea and Brecon |
The Church of St Elli is a very old church in Llanelly, Monmouthshire, Wales. It started way back in the 1300s! This church has been fixed up and made new three times. These big repairs happened in 1867–1868, 1897, and 1910–1911. Today, it is still a busy church for the local community. It is also a special Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important historically. The church is named after a saint from the 6th century, Saint Elli.
Contents
Who Was Saint Elli?
The church is named after Saint Elli. However, some historians have wondered if this is correct. A historian named Theophilus Jones wrote in the 1800s that he thought the church was actually named after Saint Almeda. He said that Almeda was one of the daughters of a person named Brychan.
Another idea is that the church was named after a male follower of Saint Cadoc. A later history book about the church, written by Arthur Mee, also supported the idea that it was named after Saint Almeda.
A Look at the Church's Past
The Church of St Elli began in the 1300s, or maybe even earlier. Not much of the original building from that time is left. The church guide suggests it might have started as a quiet place for a hermit (someone who lives alone for religious reasons). It was not built to serve a village at first.
The main part of the church, called the nave, is from the Middle Ages. But its walls were rebuilt during the repairs in the 1800s and 1900s. The first big rebuilding happened in 1867–1868. An architect named Joseph Nevill from Abergavenny did this work. The tall, pointed roof part, called the spire, was added in 1897 by Baldwin of Brecon. The last major rebuilding was done by J. Vaughan Richards of Crickhowell in 1910–1911.
An important person, Henry Bartle Frere, was born nearby in 1815. His baptism was recorded at this church. He later became a very important leader in India and Southern Africa.
Before 1974, the area of Llanelly was in a different county called Brecknockshire. Even though the local government changed, St Elli's church is still active. It is managed by the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon, but the parish is now in Monmouthshire.
Church Design and Special Features
The church is built from Old Red Sandstone rubble, which are rough, broken stones. It has a main hall (nave), a tower on the west side, a special area for the altar (chancel), a side section (aisle), and a covered entrance (porch).
An expert on buildings, John Newman, described the church's tower as "broad and squat." He said it was the most memorable part of the church. Inside the church, there are some very beautiful monuments. These are mentioned in the church's special Grade II* designation record.
The Churchyard's Unique Stories
The churchyard is the area around the church where people are buried. It holds the grave of Colonel Robert Preston Sandeman, who passed away in 1932. On his gravestone, there is a statue of his favorite dog. People say that this dog visited the colonel's grave every day after he died. The story goes that the dog eventually died right there at the grave. The colonel's wife had the dog buried with him and put the statue on the headstone.
The churchyard is also surrounded by a circle of very old yew trees. These trees are more than 800 years old! Local stories say that the Monmouthshire archers who fought with Henry V at the famous Battle of Agincourt cut wood from these very yew trees to make their Welsh bows. The king received strong support from the archers of Gwent. They were known for being very skilled with their bows. A writer named Gerald once said that "the men of Gwent are more skilled with the bow and arrow than those who come from other parts of Wales."
