Llanrhychwyn is one of the oldest churches in Wales, dating to the 6th century. There are a hundred names in Wales—or more—that begin with ‘llan’. Why is that and what does it mean?
The Welsh prefix llan has evolved in its meaning over time, first indicating a burial enclosure, then a cemetery with a church, then the church itself, and now it refers to ‘the parish settlement around a church’. Regardless, in Wales, a placename that contains llan implies a continuous Christian locality going back centuries if not millennia. Thus, with a name like Llanrhychwyn you have ‘llan’ as the prefix and then Rhychwyn, which, as is the case with many, many churches in Wales, is the name of the saint who founded it.
Most of the church is extremely old and is credited with being the oldest church in Wales. The roof beams, for example, date to the 11th century, and are the earliest example in Wales. The baptismal font dates to this time period as well, and is the oldest known font in Britain. Much of the rest of the building dates to the 12th century, including the ancient wooden door, which has wooden hinges. The bell at Llanrhychwyn possibly came from Maenan Abbey, since destroyed, and dates to the 13th century. This is the time of Llywelyn Fawr, the Prince of Wales, who is known to have worshipped at Llanrhychwyn with his wife Joan.
Overall, with its double nave, exposed beams, and overall simplicity, the church is a good example of what native Welsh churches looked like.
