Tal y Llyn

Tal-y-llyn was one of our four new Welsh vestings in 1999. It sits in a huge churchyard which throws into relief its diminutive scale.  Like so many Welsh buildings it is difficult to date but its origins are clearly medieval and its fittings are for the most part 18th century, including the communion rails and pulpit.

"Tal-y-Llyn used to be the centre of a reasonably-sized township (there were 22 houses before the Black Death).  It sits on a raised mound which the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales suggest could be pre-historic - one of countless examples in Wales of Christian churches being built on land reclaimed from the pagans....

....This is decidedly religion without pretension - simple massively structured walls, sheltering a space in which there seems no differentiation by wealth.  The seating is of one form only and can hardly have been more utilitarian.  Everybody sits on a backless plank trenched at one end into a low stone wall and supported at the other by a timber paddle."  Matthew Saunders, Saving Churches.

As most of the original open-backed pews with paddle ends were stolen during the period of redundancy they were re-carved by a local craftsman as part of our 1999/2000 repair campaign.