Sunday, 29 March 1998

St. Mary's Church
Abbeycwmhir
Radnorshire

Photography by John Ball - 28 March 1998
(with Agfa ePhoto-307 digtal camera)

After the closure of the nearby abbey in 1536, the local inhabitants had nowhere to worship until 1680, when a church was built on this site by William Fowler.

By 1860, the church had fallen into disrepair, but in 1866 a new church was built, in 12th century Gothic style, by Miss Mary Beatrice Philips, sister of George Henry Philips, the local Squire.

Above: St. Mary's Church and graveyard.

Above: The chancel is separated from the nave by a richly moulded arch
supported on two columns of granite.

Above: The altar and east window (left), and in the right foreground, a beautiful
polished brass lecturn in the shape of a bird.

Above: A brass plaque commemorating the death of Mary Beatrice Philips,
who funded the building of the church.

Above: The 19th century font (left). Around the side of the bowl is inscribed the
text: Suffer little children to come unto Me. In the churchyard (right) are a
number of unusual cast iron headstones.