St Ellyw's Church

St Ellyw’s Church stands in the small village of Llanelieu, near Talgarth, on the edge of the Black Mountains within the Brecon Beacons National Park. Built of sandstone rubble with a slate roof, it is a single undivided cell with a south porch and a gabled bell turret at the west end. The church dates from the 13th century, with 15th-century additions and a 16th-century porch. A blocked medieval door and a 13th-century priest’s door mark the exterior. Inside, lancet windows on the north side contrast with two-light windows elsewhere. The church is Grade I listed by Cadw and cared for by the Friends of Friendless Churches. Its medieval interior includes a 14th-century rood screen described as an exceptional regional example. The loft is painted blood red with quatrefoil openings, and painted walls show medieval scenes of Adam and Eve alongside later texts and figures. The sanctuary has tomb slabs, a double piscina, and an aumbry, while the octagonal font has a 17th-century oak cover. Visitors find a quiet country church with much of its medieval character intact. The stone-flagged floor and simple layout make the rood screen and wall paintings stand out. Local people use the church for concerts and meetings, and it hosts the annual Talgarth Festival. The setting among the hills adds to the sense of a place preserved in time.