Llancillo Church

Summary

Llancillo Church (also spelled Llancilo) is a Grade II*-listed redundant church in Herefordshire, England, near the Welsh border at grid reference SO36622557.[1][2]

Llancillo Church

Situated amongst trees and fields,[3] it was dedicated to Saint Peter and alternatively to St Tysilio.[4] The church was built in the 11th century and has been revised and restored since, including a Victorian restoration in the 1890s.

It contains a font from the 13th century and 17th century pulpit. One of the bells is believed to have been cast in the 13th century or earlier.

History edit

It is thought that the remote site was first used by a hermit in the 6th century but that the current chancel dates from the 11th century and the rest of the church was substantially rebuilt in the 17th century.[5] It underwent Victorian restoration in the 1890s.[6]

Despite being situated in Herefordshire, on the English side of the border, the church lay within the Welsh Diocese of St David's until 1852 when it was transferred to the Diocese of Hereford.[7]

On 22 December 2006, the building was closed for regular public worship and, in 2007, passed to the Friends of Friendless Churches to maintain and restore.[8] Whilst Llancillo remains a civil parish,[9] it now falls within the Church of England parish of Rowlestone and Llancillo.

Architecture edit

The sandstone building has a slate roof,[5] and tufa dressings.[10] It consists of a 14 feet 6 inches by 11 feet 3 inches (442 cm × 343 cm) chancel and nave which is 37 feet 0 inches by 15 feet 0 inches (1,128 cm × 457 cm) and has a porch on the south side.[10][5] One of the bells in the bellcote was cast possibly in the 13th century or earlier.[8]

There is a Tudor doorway and, inside, a 13th-century baptismal font.[11][4] The oak pulpit is from 1632.[10][5]

In the churchyard are the remains of a 14th century preaching cross with an octagonal base.[12][13] Nearby is mound which is the site of a motte castle.[14]

The church lies on the Walterstone ley line described by Alfred Watkins in his book, The Old Straight Track.[15]

References edit

  1. ^ The Black Mountains: Y Mynyddoedd Duon (Landranger Maps) (B3 ed.). Ordnance Survey. 2007. ISBN 978-0-319-22987-3.
  2. ^ "CHURCH OF ST PETER, Llancillo - 1078169 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  3. ^ Turner, Alexander (15 December 2019). "Divine inspiration: rescuing run-down churches – a photo essay". Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  4. ^ a b "St Peter". Explore Churches. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d "Llancillo Pages 164-166 An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Herefordshire, Volume 1, South west". British History Online. His Majesty's Stationery Office. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Llancillo St Peter". Tinstaafl Transcripts. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  7. ^ Havergal, Francis Tebbs (2018). Fasti herefordenses And other antiquarian memorials of Hereford. G. C. Haddon (Nachdruck der Ausgabe von 1869 ed.). Norderstedt. ISBN 978-3-337-71140-5. OCLC 1189914635.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ a b "Llancillo Church". Friends of Friendless Churches. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  9. ^ "MHCLG Open Data | Llancillo". opendatacommunities.org. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  10. ^ a b c "Church of St Peter". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  11. ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus (1963). Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England). Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-09609-5.
  12. ^ "Sites and Monuments Record database - Record 1478". Historic Herefordshire On Line. Herefordshire Council. 2 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Churchyard cross". National HeritageList for England. Historic England. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Mound E of St Peter's Church". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  15. ^ Watkins, Alfred (1974). The Old Straight Track. Abacus. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-349-13707-0.

51°55′30″N 2°55′23″W / 51.92502°N 2.92308°W / 51.92502; -2.92308