St Melangell's Church, Pennant Melangell, Medieval church in Pennant Melangell, Wales

St Melangell's Church is a stone church set within a circular churchyard in Pennant Melangell, a remote valley in the hills of Powys, Wales. The building shows Romanesque features and sits surrounded by very old yew trees that closely frame the churchyard.

The site goes back to the 7th century, when Saint Melangell established a hermitage in this valley. The current church building was constructed in stages over the following centuries, and you can still see different phases of the work in the stonework.

The name of the church comes from Saint Melangell, a woman who, according to legend, sheltered a hare beneath her cloak in this valley. The hare became her symbol, and you can see it carved into the woodwork and stonework inside the building.

The church sits at the end of a narrow valley and can be reached by car along a single-track road, with a small parking area at the end. The building is generally open during the day, and it is worth setting aside enough time to walk around the churchyard at your own pace.

Inside the church, there is a restored medieval shrine that was reassembled from hundreds of original fragments after it fell apart in the 16th century. It is considered one of the very few surviving shrines of its kind in Britain.

• Location: Llangynog
• Inception: 7 century
• Elevation above the sea: 197.7 m
• Website: http://st-melangell.org.uk
• GPS coordinates: 52.82760,-3.44970
• Latest update: March 3, 2026 10:08