Historic churches · South Wales
St Illtyd's Church
Also known as: Eglwys Llanilltud Fawr
In or near Llancarfan.
St Illtyd's Church — church in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.

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Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Llantwit Major · 0.5 km
- Free entry
Getting there & planning your visit
St Illtyd's Church is located in the Vale of Glamorgan, postcode CF61 1SA. The nearest railway station is Llantwit Major, which is 0.5 km away. Entry to the church is free.
About
St Illtyd's Church is a historic church in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1001. Heritage designation: Grade I listed building. Affiliated with Anglicanism. Wikidata describes it as: "church in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales". Coordinates: 51.4080°, -3.4877°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2021
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heritage listing
St Illtyd's Church is a church complex in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, southeast Wales. It is located at the site of the oldest college in the United Kingdom, once believed to have been founded as Côr Tewdws c. AD 395 by the Roman Emperor Theodosius II. It is now generally accepted as having been founded by St. Illtud c. AD 508, from whom it derives its name. The current church building was built in the 11th century by the Normans, with portions being rebuilt in the 13th and 15th centuries. The church building is one of the oldest and best-known parish churches in Wales.
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From the Wikipedia article
St Illtyd's Church is a church complex in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, southeast Wales. It is located at the site of the oldest college in the United Kingdom, once believed to have been founded as Côr Tewdws c. AD 395 by the Roman Emperor Theodosius II. It is now generally accepted as having been founded by St. Illtud c. AD 508, from whom it derives its name. The current church building was built in the 11th century by the Normans, with portions being rebuilt in the 13th and 15th centuries. The church building is one of the oldest and best-known parish churches in Wales. It is a grade I listed building, or building of exceptional interest, and has been called both the "Westminster Abbey of Wales" for its unique collection of carved stones and effigies, and "the most beautiful church in Wales." The parish is currently part of the Rectorial Benefice of Llantwit Major in the Diocese of Llandaff.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Description
The college is believed to have been attacked by the Danes in 987, but it was the Normans who brought the greatest change to the college. In the 11th century, Glamorgan was conquered by Robert Fitzhamon. Fitzhamon was a Norman noble, and it is thought that he attacked Glamorgan by sea c. 1080, conquering it and bringing it under the power of the Marcher Lords. During the conquest, the wooden college and church were destroyed, and its endowments were transferred to newly established Tewkesbury Abbey, Fitzhamon's personal project. For a while, the church even lost its right of sanctuary, which was not restored until 1150 by the Bishop of Llandaff. The Normans eventually rebuilt a parish…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4080, -3.4877
- District
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Parish
- Llantwit Major
- Postcode
- CF61 1SA
- Parliamentary constituency
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Established
- 1001
- Nearest railway station
- Llantwit Major — 0.5 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q7593396 (CC0)
- wikipedia: St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: St Illtud, Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, Wales - geograph.org.uk - 544796.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby

St. Illtyd's Churchyard
Cemeteries · 0.0 km

Tewkesbury Abbey Gatehouse
Abbeys & priories · 0.1 km

Llantwit Major War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km

Llantwit Major Town Hall
Gardens · 0.1 km

Old Guild Hall/Town Hall
Archaeological sites · 0.1 km

Old Swan Inn
Historic pubs · 0.1 km

Llantwit Major Tower
Literary houses · 0.1 km

The Swine Bridge
Historic bridges · 0.2 km

Ty-mawr
Literary houses · 0.5 km

Dimlands
Historic houses · 1.0 km

Acorn Holiday Park
Campsites · 1.2 km

Castle Ditches
Vineyards · 1.4 km
Nearby
Cemeteries · South Wales
St. Illtyd's Churchyard
St. Illtyd's Churchyard is a cemetery in the United Kingdom.
Abbeys & priories · South Wales
Tewkesbury Abbey Gatehouse
Tewkesbury Abbey Gatehouse — a abbey in wales-south, United Kingdom.
Memorials & monuments · South Wales
Llantwit Major War Memorial
Llantwit Major War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in wales-south, United Kingdom.
Gardens · South Wales
Llantwit Major Town Hall
Llantwit Major Town Hall — a garden in wales-south, United Kingdom.
Archaeological sites · South Wales
Old Guild Hall/Town Hall
Old Guild Hall/Town Hall — a archaeological in wales-south, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near St Illtyd's Church
Places to stay
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is St Illtyd's Church?
- St Illtyd's Church is in South Wales, United Kingdom (postcode CF61 1SA), in the parish of Llantwit Major.
- What is St Illtyd's Church?
- St Illtyd's Church — church in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.
- How do I get to St Illtyd's Church?
- The nearest railway station is Llantwit Major, about 0.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode CF61 1SA.
- When was St Illtyd's Church built?
- Built or established in 1001.
- Is St Illtyd's Church a listed building?
- St Illtyd's Church is officially recognised as Grade I listed building listed.
- Is St Illtyd's Church free to visit?
- Yes, St Illtyd's Church is free to enter.
- How do I get to St Illtyd's Church?
- The nearest railway station is Llantwit Major, about 0.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CF61 1SA.