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St.Peulan's Church, Anglesey, Urbex, Wales, Abandoned Chapel
St.Peulan's Church, Anglesey. 2022

St. Peulan's Church is located in a thinly populated part of rural Anglesey and access to its front door is down a grassed track which runs from the road to the church. It stands alone perched on a mound at the bottom of an ancient causeway, surrounded by ancient graves and headstones. The churchyard contains a war grave of a Royal Welsh Fusiliers soldier who served during the First World War. The church is built from rubble masonry, dressed with gritstone

The now redundant St Peulan’s Church is said to have been founded by St Peulan himself in the 630. Little is known of this student of St David and disciple of St Cybi and the exact date of this church’s foundation is not known. The earliest parts of the building date from the 12th century and it was the parish church of the area at the time. Nothing but the name itself of this initial church survives today. In 1349, St Peulan's was given a new roof and new internal fittings.

The current stone church on the site dates from the 12th century, with the nave and side chapel added in the 14th century. There is evidence of work from each century in the church largely late medieval windows, early modern memorials and Georgian and Victorian memorials. All the plain timber furniture within the church is 19th century, as are the colourful Welsh language decalogue and Lord’s Prayer boards on the west wall of the nave. A striking feature of this church is the unusual, trough-like font. Thought to be a pre-Norman survival, the font bears complex carvings on three sides. The front bears a cross and chevron banding, one side bears a chequer-work patter and the other ornate blind arcades. It is thought this font is unique in Wales, perhaps in Britain. 

At the west end, there is a gabled bellcote with one bell; crosses made of iron are fixed to the roofs of the chancel and south chapel. The chancel was added in the 14th century, and the arches dividing the nave from the chapel and the chancel are of this date. The entrance door, from the 19th century, is positioned on the east side of the chapel and has a pointed archway. Alongside the doorway is a stone inscribed with the year 1637, and next to that is a round-headed small window dating from the 12th century.

The oldest part of the church is tucked behind the pews at the west end. It’s a big rectangular font, and was possibly carved as early as the 11th century. There’s decoration on three sides: blind arcading, a chevron frieze, a chequer-board panel and a ringed cross

It has been in the hands of the Friends of Friendless Churches since 2004 and is one of four churches on Anglesey for which the charity has responsibility.

On 5 April 1971 the church was given Grade II listed status with it being designated as a particularly important building of more than a special interest.

 

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