St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major

St Illtyd's Church is a church complex in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, southeast Wales. It is located at the site of the oldest college in the United Kingdom, once believed to have been founded as Côr Tewdws c. AD 395 by the Roman Emperor Theodosius II. It is now generally accepted as having been founded by St. Illtud c. AD 508, from whom it derives its name. The current church building was built in the 11th century by the Normans, with portions being rebuilt in the 13th and 15th centuries. The church building is one of the oldest and best-known parish churches in Wales. It is a grade I listed building, or building of exceptional interest, and has been called both the "Westminster Abbey of Wales" for its unique collection of carved stones and effigies, and "the most beautiful church in Wales." Morganwg's works have since been discredited.

thumb|left|175px|Stained glass window depicting St. Illtud in Holy Trinity Church, Abergavenny

St. Illtud's School, Bangor Illtyd

The college is believed to have been first founded by Saint Illtud c. 508. The place came to be known as Llanilltud Fawr, meaning "Illtud's Great Church" (Welsh: llan, church enclosure + Illtud + mawr, great). The school came to be known in Welsh by a variety of different names, including Bangor Illtyd ("Illtyd's college"). This college was most likely built of wood or wattle and daub.

Archaeology

Since 2023, archaeological excavations have taken place in the Globe Field adjacent to the churchyard, in the hope of finding firm evidence of a monastic foundation. Following geophysical surveys, carried out by university students under the supervision of an expert, trenches uncovered several skeletons and some evidence of metalworking.

The Norman invasion

The college is believed to have been attacked by the Danes in 987, but it was the Normans who brought the greatest change to the college. In the 11th century, Glamorgan was conquered by Robert Fitzhamon. Fitzhamon was a Norman noble, and it is thought that he attacked Glamorgan by sea c. 1080, conquering it and bringing it under the power of the Marcher Lords. During the conquest, the wooden college and church were destroyed, and its endowments were transferred to newly established Tewkesbury Abbey, Fitzhamon's personal project. For a while, the church even lost its right of sanctuary, which was not restored until 1150 by the Bishop of Llandaff. The Normans eventually rebuilt a parish church on the ruins of the old college c. 1100, but the college was greatly diminished in size and importance.

thumb|right|175px|Interior of the West Chapel

13th-century rebuilding

In the 13th century, the parish church underwent major renovations: A low tower was added to the east end, and a second chapel was built adjoining the first one, sharing a wall in the center of the church.

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The elongated church () is a conglomeration of distinct buildings, and is divided into two areas by a wall: the east chapel, a 13th-century monastery church, and the west chapel, a Norman parish church. The grounds also include a 13th-century gatehouse, a monks' dovecote, ruined walls in a garden area, and mounds near the vicarage. It was intended to be used as a parish church, and it is the oldest standing portion of St. Illtyd's Church. There is also an inscription to King Rhys ap Arthfael of Morgannwg who died in the mid-9th century. When Parliament abolished chantries during the reign of Edward VI, the Galilee chapel fell into a ruined state for many centuries. The chapel was rededicated and reopened in November, 2013.

Grounds

The grounds include a 13th-century gatehouse, a monks' pigeon-house, ruined walls in a garden area, and mounds near the vicarage. The churchyard contains the war graves of two British Army soldiers and a V.A.D. nurse of World War I and one British soldier from World War II.

Galilee Chapel renovation

Project history

thumb|175px|The ruin of the Galilee Chapel before renovation

After the dissolution of the chantries during the reformation, the Galilee chapel fell into disrepair, and was in ruins for nearly 400 years. It was not until 1963 that the then vicar began thinking about the possibility of refurbishing the building. In 2006, to drawn up architectural plans for the renovation. The "Galilee Project" website was launched the following September, with information about the chapel, its history, and the proposed renovations. In December 2010, the project was awarded a nearly £300,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the purpose of refurbishing the chapel.

Throughout 2011, the project focused on raising additional funds and also held a series of lectures on the history of the site. Contributions came from the Heritage Lottery Fund, church fundraising, and a number of individual private donors, the "Friends of St. Illtud's. which was responsible for working with the existing stone walls; Veon Glass designed and produced the many frameless glass windows and doors within the chapel, including the innovative windows fitted into the crumbling walls of the chapel.

The Celtic stones

thumb|left|The Celtic Crosses in the re-furbished Galilee Chapel, viewed from the mezzanine.

thumb|left|175px|The Celtic Stones before their relocation to the Galilee Chapel

One of the purposes of the renovation was to make a new home for the parish's ancient Celtic stones. These stones date from the 9th and 10th centuries, and had previously been housed in the West church. They had previously been located within the main church, some in the churchyard, and some even in private gardens in the town. They were brought into the church for protection during the renovations of the late 19th century. There have been a number of readings of the Latin inscription, e.g. R. A. Stewart Macalister read it as "NINOMINEDIPATRISE/TS | PERETUSSANTDIANC | --]UCEMHOUELTPROPE | --]BITPROANIMARESPA | --]ESEUS" but fewer translations. In 1950 Victor Erle Nash-Williams translated it as "In the Name of God the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This cross Houelt (PN) prepared for the soul of Res (PN) his father" while in 1976 the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales translated it as "In the name of God, the Father and the Holy Spirit, Houelt (PN) prepared this cross for the soul of Res (PN) his father".

The Sampson Cross is 2.15 meters high, and was probably once capped by a wheel cross, which is now missing. It is inscribed on the west and east faces. The West inscription reads: +SAMSON POSUIT HANC CRUCEM + PRO ANIMA EIUS +, or, "Samson placed his cross for his soul." The east face reads: + ILTUTI SAMSON REGIS SAMUEL + EBISAR +, or, "(For the soul of) Illtud, Samson the King, Samuel Ebisar." This cross originally lay in the churchyard near the path on the north side of the church. When it was raised to bring it indoors, two skeletons were found beneath it. Some areas of the stone had deposits of "fine paint splashes" that required scalpel work to be removed. Proposed improvements include new flooring, heating, lighting, and storage facilities. The proposed refurbishment would make the West chapel more accessible to the Llantwit Major community, and provide a space for meetings, workshops, performances, and exhibitions.

File:St Illtud, Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, Wales - Font - geograph.org.uk - 544782.jpg| Baptismal font

File:St Illtud, Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, Wales - geograph.org.uk - 544787.jpg|Interior of the church

File:Wall painting in St Illtud's church - geograph.org.uk - 1375489.jpg|Wall painting of St.Christopher thought to have been painted about 1400

File:St Illtud, Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, Wales - Chancel - geograph.org.uk - 544786.jpg|Interior of the East chapel

File:St Illtud, Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, Wales - Effigy - geograph.org.uk - 544788.jpg|Effigy

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