Open Doors - St. Illtud's Church, Llantwit Major

St. Illtud's Church is of great historical and spiritual significance, representing a continuous link of Christian worship and witness stretching back over 1500 years. Founded in around 500 A.D. by St. Illtud, the Church site is one of the oldest Christian locations in Britain and is, according to the Guinness Book of Records, Britain’s earliest ‘seat of learning’, where many well-known Celtic saints were educated. The Church is a Grade I listed building “…of exceptional national interest” according to Cadw, and, when John Wesley visited in 1777, he described it as, “abundantly the most beautiful as well as the most spacious church in Wales”. The Church comprises three buildings, an East Church, a West Church and a restored Galilee Chapel, where a highly significant collection of Celtic crosses, dating back to the 8th to 10th centuries, are now displayed.

St. Illtud's Church is open every day from around 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. There are services every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. During September it is intended to hold specific visitor welcome sessions combined with a tour of the Church after the Wednesday service at around 11.00 a.m. until around 3.00 p.m. when refreshments can be served, and after the Friday service at around 1.00p.m. to 3.00 p.m. when a soup lunch is served

St. Illtud's Church Church Lane Llantwit Major CF61 1SH

From the train and bus station in Llantwit Major, walk across to and through the shopping precinct and turn right down East Street and round the corner to the old Town Square where you will see the Church. this is just a five minute walk. Parking and access for vehicles is very limited around the Church, but there is parking in the Town Hall car park nearby or at the station or at the the shopping precinct within easy walking distance.