THE CHURCH OF ST MARY TAL Y LLYN

The Church of St Mary Tal y Llyn

It really does pay to follow my advice, you know. Get Lost on Anglesey.

That’s how I discovered this isolated and peaceful little church of St Mary Tal y Llyn in the very rural heart of Anglesey near Gwalchmai.

You can’t get lost because you will inevitably encounter a little village or the coastline.

Therefore you should give over a day of your Anglesey holiday to driving around aimlessly.

This page is partly my own and also material taken from the leaflet in the church.

At the bottom of this page, I respectfully guide you to the wonderful organisation that has saved this little church. It is a church full of character and as much of its time as can be managed.

As the other church vested in the Friends at Llanfigael, this church is bare and reflects the poverty of rural life. It is a place to worship and reflect and nothing more.

Tal y Llyn was vested with the Friends of Friendless Churches in 1999, following the closure of the building. It sits in a huge churchyard which throws into relief its diminutive scale.

Like so many Welsh buildings the Church of St Mary Tal y Llyn 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.

There are two fine 15th Century collar beam roof trusses and a 15th Century font. Note the date “1764” on the sanctuary rails.

As most of the open-backed pews of 1786 with paddle ends were stolen during the period of redundancy the lost ones were re-carved by a local craftsman as part of our 1999/2000 repair campaign.

In 2004/2005 the interior was re-limewashedand and recently repairs were completed to the internal globe between the chancel and the nave, which included a protective coat of lime render.

The Friends are grateful to local people who keep a watchful eye on the building for us all.

THE FRIENDS OF FRIENDLESS CHURCHES

The Friends were founded by Ivor Bulmer-Thomas in 1857 and exists to save churches and chapels of historic and architectural interest threatened by demolition or unseemly conversion.

Increasingly in recent years they have had to assume direct responsibility for such buildings and they now own by freehold or by lease, 46 former churches including 20 in Wales. All of these faced certain decay and demolition prior to the Friends’ intervention.

In addition to those churches which are directly held by the Friends, the organisation has been responsible for saving over a hundred more, many of which have subsequently been vested in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust established by Act of Parliament in 1969.

The Friends is an almost wholly voluntary organisation. It works in partnership with the Ancient Monuments Society with which it operates a joint membership scheme.

The Society is recognised as the equivalent in Wales of the Churches Conservation Trust and is thus paid 100% of the costs of taking outstanding Anglican churches in Wales into care.

Some of these churches are, of necessity, kept locked, but they may be visited by appointment and details of access can be provided.

Former Patron:
The Most Hon the Marquess of Anglesey F.S.A., D.Litt, F.R.Hist.S.

President:
The Most Hon the Marquess of Salisbury.

Contact:
St Ann’s Vestry Hall, 2 Church Entry, LONDON, EC4V 5HB

Tel: 0207 236 3934

JOIN THE FRIENDS OF FRIENDLESS CHURCHES

The Friends warmly welcome interest in their work and are particularly keen to foster local contacts. If you are interested in old churches, their architectural history, and their conservation, do join and support the Friends work.

Either join by filling in the application form which you will find in the church or online at: www.friendsoffriendlesschurches.org.uk

Standard membership rate is £30 a year (£20 for senior citizens), with life membership for the committed.

GETTING TO THE CHURCH OF ST MARY TAL Y LLYN

Anglesey is an island which is cut across diagonally from Menai Bridge to Holyhead by the A5 and the A55 Expressway.

The easier route by which one can arrive safely at the Church of St Mary is by driving along the Thomas Telford's A5 to Gwalchmai.

You should be able to see the church on your left ahead of you on a rise in the road.

View St Mary Tal y Llyn, Gwalchmai, Anglesey in a larger map

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Return from St Mary to ANGLESEY'S NICE CHURCHES.

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SBI!