Following a steeply cobbled path up to Chapel Hill (Llanandras in Welsh) above Tintern Abbey, we reached the graveyard of St Mary's church where the ruin is slowly being engulfed by ivy. The church was destroyed by fire in 1977 and the churchyard is still maintained by volunteers from St Michael & All Angels, Tintern where the reredos from this church is now kept.
The church is medieval in origin, but was virtually rebuilt by John Pritchard in 1866-8. It comprises a nave and chancel with no division, a tower on the north side with porch under and a vestry with boiler room or burial vault (?) under on the south side.
Here are two views of the ruinous interior, one looking east, the other west. Note the remains of the main aisle floor tiles still in situ.
There are several ornamented recesses in the church walls, including a nice piscina in the chancel and a holy water stoup in the porch.
The remains of the broken font are still there too.
The final view is of the pretty tower and the ivy clad west end.
Digital photographs
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