Church of St Michael and All Angels

St Michael and All Angels stands in the Vale of Glamorgan village of Colwinston. A Grade I listed building, it is a medieval parish church first recorded in 1141 when Maurice de Londres confirmed a donation. The church was valued at five marks in 1254 and later linked with Ewenny Priory by 1291. Its square tower with battlements still holds a surviving medieval bell bearing the inscription ‘Sancte Michael ora pro nobis’. Medieval wall paintings cover parts of the interior. Fragments on the chancel arch show scenes including the consecration of Saint Nicholas and a miracle involving a baby saved from boiling water. The building was restored in 1879 by Henry J Williams, who uncovered a rood loft and installed new oak furnishings. The stone altar was removed after the Reformation and now lies in the churchyard. The churchyard contains a Grade II listed cross and wall. A fire in 1971 led to later repairs in 2000, which included redecoration, reroofing and a new north vestry. The oak pulpit, communion table and lectern date from the 19th-century restoration. Visitors find a quiet country church with ancient art, historic furnishings and a peaceful graveyard.