St Silin's Church, Llansilin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Silin's Church
Church of St Silin
Eglwys San Silin
Location	Llansilin, Powys
Country	Wales
Denomination	Church in Wales
Previous denomination	Church of England
History
Status	open
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I
Administration
Parish	Llansilin
Diocese	St Asaph

St Silin's Church is a special church in Llansilin, a village in Powys, Wales. It belongs to the Church in Wales. Parts of this old building date back to the 13th century. It is a Grade I listed building, meaning it is very important historically. People have used this spot for Christian worship for a very long time, even since the Dark Ages. The church is named after Saint Silin, also known as Saint Sulien. He was a monk who lived in the 6th century.

St Silin's was the only church parish near the England–Wales border that chose to leave the Church of England. This happened because of a law called the Welsh Church Act 1914. This law led to the creation of the Church in Wales.

A Look Back at St Silin's Church

The first church here was made of wood and shaped like a cross. It was a type of early Christian settlement called a Clas. However, it was damaged during Owain Glyndŵr's rebellion. The main part of the church, called the nave, was then rebuilt using stone. A narrow, pointed window from the 13th century is still part of the building today.

The Church During the English Civil War

During the English Civil War, soldiers used the church. Oliver Cromwell's soldiers, known as Roundheads, used it as a place to stay. They even used the south door for target practice with their muskets. Royalist forces also shot at the church when they were trying to take it over. Amazingly, that same door is still used today, and you can still see the bullet holes!

Changes Over the Years

The church used to have a wooden spire on top. This spire burned down in the 1800s. A new stone tower was built in its place in 1832.

St Silin's Parish and Its Unique Border

St Silin's Church serves the Welsh parish of Llansilin. This parish is part of the Diocese of St Asaph. A small part of the parish actually crosses the England–Wales border. This happened because of changes made by King Henry VIII in 1536. This means a piece of the English county of Shropshire is included in the parish.

The Church in Wales and Border Polls

Because the church's area crossed the border, something interesting happened in 1915. The Welsh Church Commissioners decided that Llansilin was one of 19 "border parishes." This meant people living there could vote. They had to choose if they wanted their church to stay with the established Church of England or join the new Church in Wales. The Church in Wales was becoming separate from the Church of England at that time.

Most of the other 17 parishes voted to stay with the Church of England. But in Llansilin and another parish called Rhydycroesau, the vote was very close. So, a second vote was held in 1916. In this second vote, Llansilin chose to join the Church in Wales. The vote was 255 to 228. This made Llansilin the only parish in these votes to join the Church in Wales.

A Unique Situation

Because of this vote, St Silin's parish is very special. It contains the only part of England where the church is under the Church in Wales. This means it's the only place in England where the church is "disestablished." This means it's not officially connected to the government like the Church of England is.

St Silin's: A Grade I Listed Building

St Silin's Church was given Grade I listed status in 1966. This is the highest level of protection for historic buildings in the UK. It means the building is considered to be of exceptional national importance.

Why It's So Important

The church received this special status for several reasons. It has "unusually fine" parts from the 15th century and even earlier. It also has important features from after the Middle Ages. The church was carefully restored by someone named Baker in the 19th century. All these things together give the church a very special and unique character.