Llanfeugan - ancient

Nearest town: Brecon

Site type: churchyard

Access: Public

Church name: St Meugan

Diocese: Swansea and Brecon

County: Powys

Country: Wales

Grid ref: SO0870524547

Lost yew site: No

Date visited: 2-Jan-12

Recorded by: Tim Hills

Protection & responsibility: Church in Wales

Yews recorded at this site: Ancient 5m-7m, Ancient 7m+

Notes: Lewis's 1833 Topographical Dictionary of Wales reported that 'the churchyard contains some of the finest yew-trees in South Wales: one of them is nine and a half yards, and another seven and a half, in girth; and though the trees are generally of a very great age, their trunks are mostly perfectly sound'. This exceptional yew site contains twelve yews around the church, of which two are classified as ancient (7m+) and seven as ancient (5/7m). The remaining three are seen at Llanfeugan-ancient and notable. This location may be spelt in any of the following ways: Llanfeugan, Llanfeigan, Llanfigan, Llanveigan, Llanvigan. To confuse matters further it is sometimes known as Pencelli. 'The location and dedication point to an early medieval origin for the first church at Llanfeugan, some sources positing a 7thC foundation' (CPAT). Additional notes from Peter Norton: St Meugan is a relatively obscure saint, but his name is referred to both in the 5th and 7th centuries. The dedication and the location together suggest that this was an early medieval foundation, and when around 1272 the Lord of Pencelli built a new church, the centre of worship was not moved to Pencelli Castle less than one kilometre to the north-east, but remained here as a clear sign of a pre-existing ecclesiastical focus.

Site files:

Llanfeugan-2019.pdf