UK – Wales

CAMBRIAN COAST

St Padarn Church, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth, Powys, SY23 3QU, Wales.
01970 623 368 – www.stpadarns-llanbadarn.org.uk
Open daily
Legend has it that St Padarn and his associate Cadfan sailed from Brittany with 847 monks in the 6C and founded a religious order here.

The Strata Florida Abbey, Pontrhydfendigaid, Tregaron, Ceredigion, SY25 6BT, Wales.
01974 831 261 – www.cadw.wales.gov.uk
FREE April – Sept Mon & Tues and Oct – March daily ( Charge at all other times ) Normal opening hours 10.00-16.00
Strata Florida or ” Vale Of Flowers” was founded in 1164. The Princes & Princesses of Wales are buried here in what used to be called the “Westminster Of Wales “.

St Paul’s Methodist Church, Queens Road, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 2NN, Wales.
01970 626 703 – dsgibson@nildram.co.uk
This church was home to the English Speaking Methodist Congregation prior to 1990.

SOUTH EAST WALES

Ewenny Priory, 2 miles from the village of Ewenny, on the B4524, Ewenny, Mid Glamorgan, Wales.
www.ewenny.org.uk
Access at all times
Remains of a Benedictine priory founded in 1141, tucked away down leafy lanes.

Neath Abbey, The Vale of Neath, Off the A465 follow the Skewen Signs, Neath – Port Talbot, Glamorgan, Wales.
029 2082 6185
Access at all times
The ruined ghostly remains of an early 12C abbey. Once described as the fairest abbey in all Wales.

St Mary’s Church, St Mary’s Square, Swansea, Swansea County, SA1 3LP, Wales.
01792 655 489 – alun-wyn@ntlworld.com – www.swanseastmary.fsnet.co.uk
Jan, Feb, March & Nov Open Mon, Wed, Thurs & Sat Mornings Rest of the year Weekdays 10.00-15.00 Free Organ Recitals on Tues June – Sept
This is the Mother Church of Swansea and the interior houses a number of works of arts by Swansea and Internationally renowned artists.

SNOWDONIA AND THE LLYN

Gwydyr Uchaf Chapel, Gwydyr, Llanwrst, 1 miles SW of Llanwrst of the B5106, Llanwrst, Conway County, LL26 0PN, Wales.
01490 412 025
Access at all reasonable times
Built in 1673 with a plain exterior and a Baroque interior.

Cymer Abbey Llanelltud, Near Dolgellau, Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales.
029 2082 6185
Access at all reasonable times
The remains of a small abbey founded in 1198. Most notable of the ruins are the three remaining arched windows.

St Hywyn Church Aberdaron, Llyn Peninsular, Aberdaron, Gwynedd, Wales.
01758 760229 – office@st-hywyn.org.uk – www.st-hywyn.org.uk
Summer 10.00-18.00 Winter 10.00-16.00
This 19C church with Norman door was built on the site of a 5C church.

NORTH COAST AND ANGLESEY

St Giles Church, College House, 1 Temple Row, Wrexham, Denbighshire, LL13 8LY, Wales.
01978 355 808 – wrexhamparish@aol.com
Daily 11.00-15.00
Contains a Gothic tower with a steeple dating from 1520. The tower has five distinct levels stepping 4 hexagonal pinnacles. Known as one of the seven wonders of Wales.

St Asaph Cathedral, High Street, Denbigh, Denbighshire, LL17 0AX, Wales.
01745 583 429 – stasaphcathedral@btopenworld.com – www.stasaphcathedral.org.uk
Open daily 08.00-18.00
This is the country’s smallest cathedral,and one of the oldest in Wales. It dates from the 15C and houses William Morgan’s first Welsh translation of the bible.

Basingwerk Abbey, Greenfield Valley Heritage Park, S of A458, Holywell, Flintshire, Wales.
029 2082 6185
Access at all times to Abbey. Visitor’s Centre Daily 10.00-17.00 Between April and October.
In 1188 the Archbishop Balwin and Giraldus Cambrensis spent the night in this abbey during their grand tour. There is also a visitor’s centre on site.

Bangor Cathedral, Glanrafon, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 1LH, Wales.
01248 353 983 – martin@bangorcathedral.freeserve.co.uk
Open 11.00-17.00
This Cathedral boasts the longest continual use of any Cathedral in the British Isles.

Penmon Priory, 7 miles from Beaumaris, Off the B5109, Penmon, Anglesey, Wales.
Access at all reasonable times
The Welsh name of the priory is Ynys Seiriol after a 6C saint who became known as The White Saint. The 12C church and 13C cloisters are still standing and the lime washed interior has a Norman Font.

St Cadwaladr Church, Llangadwaladr, Near Aberffraw, Llangadwaladr, Anglesey, Wales.
Open Sunday Mornings, at all other times key can be obtained from the rectory.
13C church built encompassing a Latin memorial plaque dating from 625AD in the interior wall.

Church of St Cybi, Newry Street, On the A5, Holyhead, Anglesey, LL65 1HP, Wales.
01407 763 001 – www.stcybi.co.uk
Jun-Sep (Mon-Sat) 11.00-15.00
13C church that has undergone much restoration including new stained glass by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. The chapel house next door housed the town’s first free school.

SOUTH WEST WALES

St Ishmael Chapel and village, Ferryside, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Access at all times
Originaly built to service a medieval village and was destroyed in a storm 300 years ago. A further storm in 1896 revealed the remains of houses around the site. St Ishmael is known as the lost village near the present day village of Ferryside.

Church of St Brynach, On the B4582, Nevern, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Exterior View at all times
Founded in the 6C it’s Norman Tower is still intact. In the churchyard ( the second tree on the right) is The Bleeding Yew whose bark oozes brownish red sap. Legend says that the tree will bleed until a Welsh Lord is reinstated in the village castle.

St David’s Cathedral, St David’s, St David’s, Pembrokeshire, SA62 6QW, Wales.
01437 720 691 – tours@stdavidscathedral.org.uk – www.stdavidscathedral.org.uk
Exterior View at all times – charge for guided tours
A magnificent cathedral built in the ” Vale Of The Roses” ( a hollow ) which provides stunning and unrivaled scenery and views of the surrounding area. Built on the site of St David’s 6C Monastery.

St Non’s Chapel & Holy Well, 2 miles W of St David’s Cathedral, Near St David’s, St David’s, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Access at all times
Holy Well and ancient ruined chapel from the 6C constructed inside a prehistoric stone circle and dedicated to the mother of St David.

St Dogmael’s Abbey, St Dogmael’s, Near Cardigan, Cardigan, Pembrokeshire, SA43 3DY, Wales.
01239 820 427
Access at all times
Built by Benedictine Monks in the 12C, only the remains of this Abbey survive.

St Govan’s Chapel, Near Bosherston, Bosherston, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Access at all times
Built into the cliff at St Govan’s is this tiny hermit’s cell. It is reputed that the counting the number of steps to and from the cell will always result in a different total number.

CENTRAL WALES