St Gwynno's Church

Heritage listing

Reason for designation: Listed as a historically important medieval hill-top church, retaining a good proportion of its fabric and interesting later monuments, restored in C19 with high quality workmanship and detailing. History: An early Christian foundation, reputedly C6. St Gwynno is believed to have been a monk or follower of St Illtud of Llanilltud Fawr (Llantwit Major). Fragments of early sculpture incorporated in the masonry confirm an early foundation. Thought to have been a single cell building in C12, extended to create separate chancel c 1300 with priests door and S porch added in C15. One of a number of medieval hilltop parish churches in Glamorgan, now distant from the industrial communities which colonised the valleys. A daughter church of Llantrisant and in C16 a curacy under Vicar of Llantrisant, who was in turn appointed by the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester Cathedral to whom the major tithes were paid. The earliest churchyard monument is reputed to be to Christina Pitt, died 1667, but is not identifiable. Llanwonno became an independent parish in C18. Old photographs pre-1893 show a small and simple structure of nave, south porch and chancel. Miss Olive Talbot of Margam Abbey commissioned Halliday (George Halliday) and Anderson to undertake the restoration at her expense. A NE vestry was added at this time and probably the internal plaster removed then. The N windows date from 1913. That the churchyard was cleared and levelled at some time (probably early C19) is shown by the higher ground round the yew trees; the Tithe Map of 1842 shows it considerably smaller. Exterior: Medieval church restored in Gothic Revival style. Built of rubble with rock-faced stone dating from restoration, ashlar dressings and slate roof with cruciform finials, stepped down t

From Cadw under OGL v3.