An 800 year old church ruin near Ruthin
Nestled in the hills of the Clwydian Range, just east of Ruthin, a tiny church ruin sits. With no windows, no roof, and only half the walls left, it should be a sorry sight. But is it actually a little haven for wildlife, peace and a good dose of tranquility.
Old St Peter’s Church ruin in Llanbedr DC, just beneath Moel Famau, dates back hundreds of years. It was replaced by a newer church nearby in the 1800s. It is near an important route through the Clwydian Range – Bwlch Pen Barras – which has seen millions of footsteps over thousands of years. The road is now a popular tourist route for those wishing to visit Moel Famau and the hillforts of the Clwydian Range, linking Ruthin and Mold by road.
In these videos, I take you with me on my first ever visit to the church ruin – a place I have wanted to visit for some time. And it is quite unexpected. The site is really well looked after by the community, community council, volunteers and the Church. There are even places roped off and dedicated to wildflower planting, awash with colour at this time of year.
During my videos of my visit to the church ruin, I point out archaeological and architectural features in the walls. You can look out for similar features on other medieval structures, such as castles, churches, medieval houses and chapels. Look for a drawbar hole, door hinges, blocked doorways, windows and more.
In video one, I describe a bit of the history of the church ruin and make my way inside. I even find something in common with one of the people buried at the church in 1616. In part two, I find a few more points of interest on my way out via the West door and explore the outside.
I hope you enjoy watching the videos. If you do, please like, subscribe and share with any people or groups you think may be interested!
For more stories on interesting churchyards – but with a tree theme this time – visit my blog page and vlog all about Yew trees. I include some local places with absolutely fascinating stories to tell. Yew won’t be disappointed!! http://idigarchaeology.co.uk/yew/
