Welsh Family History Archive

Images of Wales

St Michael's Church
Bryngwyn, Radnorshire

Photography by John Ball - 9 September 1999
(with Agfa ePhoto307 digital camera)

St Michael's is the parish church of Bryngwyn, set in a remote rural area of Radnorshire, near the English border. The church, situated on the slopes of Bryngwyn Hill, is said to be the third highest church in Wales.

Above: St Michael's viewed from the south-west. The belfry houses two bells,
one of which dates from circa AD 1200.

Above: The entrance to the churchyard (left) which contains several ancient yew trees (right).

Above and below: On the south-east corner of the church are these mysterious male and female
figures carved into the stonework. The date and significance of the carvings are unknown.

Above: The nave and chancel.

Above left: The interior of the chancel roof, erected circa AD 1500.
Above right: The oldest object in the church is this early Christian
stone pillar near the south wall of the chancel. The pillar is incised
with a decorated cross dating from AD 600 to AD 800.

Above: Carved heads at each end of the archway over a door in the north wall of the chancel.

Above: This bird, made of dried flowers, hovers menacingly over
the font at the west end of the nave.