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 in Llanelly, Monmouthshire, Wales, is a very old church. It first started being built way back in the 14th century! Over the years, it has had three big makeovers to keep it looking good and strong. Even today, it's still an active church where people go for services. It's also a special building, protected as a Grade II* listed building because of its history and architecture. The church is named after Saint Elli, who lived in the 6th century.
The Story of St Elli's Church
This church began its life in the 14th century, or even earlier. However, not much of the original building from that time remains today. The main part of the church, called the nave, is medieval. But its walls were rebuilt during big repair projects in the 1800s and early 1900s.
The first major repair happened between 1867 and 1868. An architect named Joseph Nevill from Abergavenny led this work. The church's spire, which is the tall, pointed part of the tower, was added during another repair in 1897. This work was done by Baldwin of Brecon. The last big rebuilding project took place from 1910 to 1911, led by J. Vaughan Richards from Crickhowell.
For a long time, the area of Llanelly was part of a different county called Brecknockshire. This changed in 1974 because of new government rules. Even though the parish is now in Monmouthshire, St Elli's Church is still an active church. It is managed by the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon.
What Does St Elli's Church Look Like?
The church is built from a type of stone called Old Red Sandstone. This stone was used in a rough, natural way, known as "rubble" construction. The church has several main parts:
- A nave, which is the main open area where people sit.
- A west tower, which is a tall structure at one end.
- A chancel, which is the area near the altar.
- An aisle, a walkway along the side.
- A porch, an entrance area.
A historian who studies buildings, John Newman, thought the church's tower was its most interesting part. He described it as "broad and squat," meaning it was wide and not very tall.
Inside the church, you can find some very special monuments. These are noted for their "unusually high quality" in the church's official listing. This is one reason why the church has a Grade II* designation. This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
