St Nicholas, Montgomery

St Llonio, Llandinam

Llandinam is mainly known as the birthplace of David Davies, the industrialist responsible for many of the collieries in the Rhondda Valley and the subsequent development of Barry as a seaport.

But it is also home to a church with an interesting past and dedication, though it is easy to miss, built high on a promontory overlooking the village and the busy A470 road below.

Claimed to have been founded in 520AD, the church served a monastery until the 13th century and was the mother church of Llanidloes and Llanwnnog. However, only the robust 13th century tower, its stair turret and a portion of the north wall survive from the mediaeval period, the rest being a thorough 19th century rebuild in 1864-5 by G.E Street. 

The tower itself has a quaint, small window on the stair turret (which effectively forms a buttress on the north-west corner). Other mediaeval fragments include tomb recesses and a piscina in the chancel, and the inner arch from the porch into the tower, and the 14th century tower arch itself. The main body of the church has a large south aisle and a darkly atmospheric chancel (thanks to some heavy Victorian stained glass).

St Llonio, Llandinam SY17 5BY

St Lawrence, Alton