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Church of St Mary Magdalene - Bleddfa
Kneelers
The kneelers have been lovingly worked by women in the village. They are taken from photographs of houses and buildings in Bleddfa.
The kneelers have been lovingly worked by women in the village. They are taken from photographs of houses and buildings in Bleddfa.
Vicar: Revd Alex Pye 01547 510 080
Basil Titford: 01547 550 693
Malcolm Forbes: 01547 550 658
Malcolm Forbes: 01547 550 658
St Michael's Beguildy
St David's Heyope
St Cynllo's Llangunllo
Mary Magdalene Bleddfa
The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Bleddfa has stood for 700
years. It sits at the heart of Radnorshire in the deanery of
Maelienydd, once an old Welsh territory. The church is a single
chamber although the west end, which houses exhibition space,
storage, a small vestry and an organ chamber, is now divided
from the nave.
Roughly the western end of the church is early 13th Century and the eastern end is late 13th Century. The only division between chancel and nave is two steps. The church seems never to have had a screen. It is elegantly simple with a magnificent timber roof, flagstone flooring, a medieval porch and a large square tower with bellcote. It boasts a fine organ that has recently been installed.
Roughly the western end of the church is early 13th Century and the eastern end is late 13th Century. The only division between chancel and nave is two steps. The church seems never to have had a screen. It is elegantly simple with a magnificent timber roof, flagstone flooring, a medieval porch and a large square tower with bellcote. It boasts a fine organ that has recently been installed.
Location: The Church of St Mary Magdalene in Bleddfa is
in the heart of Bleddfa Village midway on the A4113
between Knighton and Penybont. It is approximately 8
kilometres (4 miles) from Knighton.
Grid Reference: Explorer 201 SO 684207.
History and Architecture
The name, Bleddfa, is thought to derive from Blaiddfau, meaning Place of the Wolves. This dates from when the narrow valley was plagued by wolves. As late as Tudor times they could still be trapped and killed. There have been settlements in and around Bleddfa since the Iron Age, and possibly its parish church was built on a pre-Christian site.
The churchyard appears to be circular - which often suggests an ancient site - and the grassy mound at the west end of the church was thought to be a
Grid Reference: Explorer 201 SO 684207.
History and Architecture
The name, Bleddfa, is thought to derive from Blaiddfau, meaning Place of the Wolves. This dates from when the narrow valley was plagued by wolves. As late as Tudor times they could still be trapped and killed. There have been settlements in and around Bleddfa since the Iron Age, and possibly its parish church was built on a pre-Christian site.
The churchyard appears to be circular - which often suggests an ancient site - and the grassy mound at the west end of the church was thought to be a
Bronze Age burial mound until the excavations of the
early 1960s proved that it concealed the ruins of a
tower. A further tradition has it that the church at
Bleddfa was founded by the Irish Saint Brendan in the
6th Century, during the great age of Celtic saints which
contributed so much to early Welsh lore and literature.
In 1066 Bleddfa belonged to the territory of Maelienydd, which was ruled by the descendants of Elystan Glodrydd, a powerful Welsh chieftain. However by 1093, most of Maelienydd was in the hands of the ambitious Norman barons, the Mortimers of Wigmore. By 1100 a castle had been erected at Bleddfa, as part of Norman defences against the still-turbulent Welsh, but no permanent church would be built for more than a hundred years.
In 1066 Bleddfa belonged to the territory of Maelienydd, which was ruled by the descendants of Elystan Glodrydd, a powerful Welsh chieftain. However by 1093, most of Maelienydd was in the hands of the ambitious Norman barons, the Mortimers of Wigmore. By 1100 a castle had been erected at Bleddfa, as part of Norman defences against the still-turbulent Welsh, but no permanent church would be built for more than a hundred years.
It is likely that the lords of Richard's Castle were responsible
for the building. The 14th Century octagonal font stands
there, below the lovely 13th Century lancet window.
Early 13th Century section on left and late
13th Century on right
Early 13th Century Section (not tower and
porch)
Baptismal Font
13th Century Lancet Window
The grassy mound at the western end of the church was excavated in the early 1960s, proving that it concealed the
ruins of a tower, which had been destroyed by fire. Parish and diocesan records make no mention of such a
catastrophe, so we may never know for certain when it occurred. However all the circumstantial evidence points
towards the destruction of the tower by Glyndwr's men as they marched into battle at Bryn Glas, as Bleddfa guarded a
key route across the mountains.
By the end of the 15th Century the western
end of the nave, which had fallen with the
tower, had risen again on its old foundations,
and the porch and the magnificent timber
roof had been added.
15th Century Porch
Memorial Stone in Porch
Porch Entrance
Throughout the 1400s, from the
bleak post-Glyndwr years to the
Wars of the Roses and their
aftermath, the Welsh border was a
wild and lawless place, the haunt of
outlaws and robbers. At Bleddfa, the
grass was left to grow over the
tower ruins but the church itself
struggled faithfully on.
Roof
Roof Beams with Remnants of Red Paint
Inside the church, fragments of red and white
paint can still be seen on some of the roof
timbers, reminding us that in this
pre-Reformation period even the simplest
parish churches were gaily coloured and
decorated.
The Reformation had far-reaching effects on parish churches; many were impoverished and their valuables were
confiscated during the reign of Edward VI. The serpentine altar rails and some of the panels in the pulpit are said to be late
17th Century or Jacobean.
Jacobean Altar Rail
Jacobean Pulpit Detail
The Church also has an Elizabethan
silver chalice, and paten cover
marked 1634 (the paten cover is to
the right of the chalice).
The large salver, 9 inches in diameter, is undated. The centre is inscribed "Blethvaugh". Bleddfa - Bleddvach - Blethvauch - Blaiddfa - Bledewach - Blethevach are the many and varied spellings of Bleddfa used over the centuries.
The large salver, 9 inches in diameter, is undated. The centre is inscribed "Blethvaugh". Bleddfa - Bleddvach - Blethvauch - Blaiddfa - Bledewach - Blethevach are the many and varied spellings of Bleddfa used over the centuries.
Church Silver with Detail on Salver
By 1694 the
parish records
report that the
church was
sadly out of
repair, but a
pewter flagon
dated 1694 is
the property of
the church. It
is 10 inches
high.
Pewter Flagon dated 1694
By 1711 Bleddfa's fortunes
were looking up. A bellcote was
added, complete with two bells
dated 1711 and inscribed with
the maker's name, Henry
Williams.
1711 Bellcote
East Window
By 1733 repairs had been
made to floor, windows and
roof.
A fine parish chest is believed to be 18th Century and there is also a bier inscribed with the date 1736.
A fine parish chest is believed to be 18th Century and there is also a bier inscribed with the date 1736.
Repaired and
Renewed
In 1877 a National School, Church maintained,
was opened to provide an elementary
education for the children of the
neighbourhood.
After 106 years it closed in 1983. The building is now used as the Bleddfa Centre for the Arts.
After 106 years it closed in 1983. The building is now used as the Bleddfa Centre for the Arts.
Nearby Zion Chapel
In the late 1800s
non-conformity
was on the rise.
A Methodist
Church opened
in 1862 and the
Zion Baptist
Chapel, which
still exists, was
established in
1898.
Buttress on North Side
Box Pew Panel
At the beginning of the 20th Century Bleddfa Church
underwent a major restoration. The image shows an old box
pew panel. Buttressing was added to the north and south
walls, and the interior was re-structured.
Sadly, as the 20th Century progressed the population of the countryside began to decline, and the congregation dwindled. The excavation of the mound at the western end of the church in 1962-3 generated enormous interest. The images show the enormous width of the walls and the internal stairs down the wall to the lovely arched doorway inside the mound. Was it built as a place of refuge? Instigated by the Radnorshire Society and supported by the Cambrian Archaeological Society, the work was directed by Mr L.A.S. Butler, of the Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, in 1962 and Mr Frank Noble in 1963.
Sadly, as the 20th Century progressed the population of the countryside began to decline, and the congregation dwindled. The excavation of the mound at the western end of the church in 1962-3 generated enormous interest. The images show the enormous width of the walls and the internal stairs down the wall to the lovely arched doorway inside the mound. Was it built as a place of refuge? Instigated by the Radnorshire Society and supported by the Cambrian Archaeological Society, the work was directed by Mr L.A.S. Butler, of the Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, in 1962 and Mr Frank Noble in 1963.
West End of
Church with
Ruined Mound
Internal Stairs
in Mound
Thick Walls
of Mound
Arched
Doorway Inside
Mound
The then rector, Rev. John Tipping, heard that Bleddfa Church was on a provisional list for closure. James Roose Evans,
who was then living at Bleddfa Rectory, launched a scheme to save the church, now called the Bleddfa Trust. The Trust
incorporates the church, the old school, and Hall Barn where you can see the images of Tobit, his dog and angel. It was
blessed by the then Archbishop of Wales, Rowan Willliams.
Hall Barn
The National School, now The Bleddfa Centre
The architect George Pace drew up plans to re-design the church interior to facilitate the use of the church not only
for worship but also for retreats, workshops, concerts.
This historical information is taken from the booklet, The Church of St Mary Magdalene, written by Mary Oldham, copyright 2003, produced by C-4 Media Services. It is available in the church.
This historical information is taken from the booklet, The Church of St Mary Magdalene, written by Mary Oldham, copyright 2003, produced by C-4 Media Services. It is available in the church.
Entrance from Bleddfa
Centre
Tobit and Angel
Bleddfa Church has a fine musical
tradition and in 2010 a large
organ with an impressive range of
sound was installed.
It was built by Lyndon Stephens and Graham George, a former churchwarden.
It was built by Lyndon Stephens and Graham George, a former churchwarden.
The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust site:
Information and schedule for the Bleddfa Centre:
Some useful links:
100 House Inn
Old Vicarage
Art Gallery
Pentrelan
Post office
Created by:
Churchwardens:
Early and Late 13th Century Sections from
North Side
Two Manual Organ
Organ Pipes