The Parish Church of Lansilin
Eglwys St.Silin Church
The historic church of Owain Glyndwr and resting place of the celebrated poet Huw Morus, Eos Ceiriog.
Visit St.Silin
Explore our historic church and grounds or join us for a service
Origins and Early History
The roots of our church reach back to the “Age of Saints,” established by Silin, a missionary now better known to have traveled from Brittany and the 6th-century founder-abbot of a monastery at Luxulyan in Cornwall. While the initial structure was wooden, the foundations of the building we see today date back to 1405. This reconstruction followed the destruction of the previous Norman church, which was burned during the turmoil of Owain Glyndŵr’s rebellion by the Prince of Wales.
The connection to Glyndŵr is profound; his family is thought to have maintained a private chapel on the south side, and his ancestral home at Sycharth stood less than a mile from these grounds.
Survival Through Conflict
During the English Civil War, the building suffered significantly when Parliamentary forces, then besieging Chirk Castle, repurposed the church as stables. While much of the interior was damaged, the magnificent 15th-century carved wooden ceiling above the chancel was miraculously spared. Look closely at the high roof beams to find carvings of wyverns—an unstable heraldic symbol of Glyndŵr—perhaps placed there as a silent gesture of local loyalty.
Artistic and Literary Treasures
The church is home to several unique features:
– The Seren Silin (St Silin’s Star): A striking chandelier hanging in the nave, gifted in 1821 by a local son who found success in Birmingham.
– The “Nightingale of Ceiriog”: We commemorate the renowned Welsh poet Huw Morus, a former churchwarden. A large dedicated window and a delicate lancet window featuring his englyn (verse) grace the south wall. He rests just outside this wall; a spot famously visited by author George Borrow, who knelt to kiss the poet’s headstone.
– A Touch of Mystery: Fans of detective fiction may recognise the church from Ellis Peters’ Cadfael novel, Monk’s Hood.
The Churchyard and Tower
The grounds are as storied as the interior, featuring ancient yew trees over a millennium old. The churchyard is famous for its eccentricities, including “witches’ marks,” carved footprints, and a legendary gravestone claiming a date of death on the 31st of February.
Dominating the exterior is the 1832 tower, housing a peal of six bells. These were fully restored for the millennium and continue to be rung today by our dedicated local team.
THIS YEAR
Celebrating Llansilin as part of the Living Stones project
St.Silins is one of 15 remarkable churches across three valleys of North Montgomeryshire.
“There are no better doorways to the culture of the country, still so unknown and elusive to the visitor, than these old churches and chapels”.
TJ Hughes, Wales’s Best One Hundred Churches
THIS YEAR
Treftadaeth Llansilin Heritage
Project to create a heritage centre in the north aisle of Llansilin church.
Representing Owain Glyndŵr, Sycharth, Huw Morris and the Llansilin archives
OUR SERVICES
St.Silins holds services and functions
Visitors are always welcome to come and see what the church, or attend one of our services or events.
Services are held every Sunday with events taking place throughout the year.
OPEN between 10am to 4pm daily