Editing Llantwit Major (section)

====St Illtyd's Church and monastery====
{{main|Illtud|St Illtyd's Church, Llantwit Major}}
[[File:St Illtud, Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, Wales - geograph.org.uk - 544796.jpg|thumb|right|The Church of St Illtyd, Llantwit Major]]
[[File:St Illtud, Llantwit Major, Glamorgan, Wales - Chancel - geograph.org.uk - 544786.jpg|thumb|upright|Interior of the church]]
The foundation of St. Illtyd's Church dates back to the [[Age of the Saints]] in early Welsh Christianity and thus by its very existence provides evidence of continuity with sub-Roman Christianity. The town grew up around the ''Bangor Illtyd'' ("Illtyd's college").<ref name="Newell1887">{{cite book|last=Newell|first=Ebenezer Josiah|title=A popular history of the ancient British church: with special reference to the church in Wales|url=https://archive.org/details/apopularhistory01newegoog|access-date=25 January 2012|edition=Public domain|year=1887|publisher=Society for promoting Christian knowledge|pages=[https://archive.org/details/apopularhistory01newegoog/page/n125 115]–}}</ref> Saint David, [[Samson of Dol|Saint Samson]], Saint [[Paul Aurelian]], Saint [[Gildas]], [[Saint Tudwal]], [[Saint Baglan]] and king Maelgwn Gwynedd are said to have studied at the divinity school. It  was  founded around AD 508 by St Illtyd as a centre of learning. The school is said to have stood on the north side of the churchyard; and the monastery was situated north of the [[tithe barn]] on Hill Head.<ref name="TheArt1860">{{cite book|title=The art journal London|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vY1CAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA217|edition=Public domain|year=1860|publisher=Virtue|page=217}}</ref>

The elongated church ({{Coord|51.4081|-3.4878|type:landmark}}), a conglomeration of distinct buildings, is divided into two areas by a wall, a 13th-century monastery church, and the [[Norman architecture|Norman]] parish church. The eastern section contains interesting [[Middle Ages|medieval]] wall paintings with religious themes, and a fine [[reredos]]. The western section, a [[Lady chapel]], {{convert|40.5|ft}} in length,<ref name="TheArt1860" /> contains a small museum housing the Llanilltud Collection of Celtic Stones, including a pillar and two inscribed stones of major importance. One commemorates  King [[Rhys ab Arthfael]] of [[Kingdom of Morgannwg|Morgannwg]] who died in the mid-9th century.<ref name="Newell1887" /> The church contains a [[curfew bell]] and medieval priest [[effigy|effigies]].<ref name="Williams2001">{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Peter N.|title=The Sacred Places of Wales: A Modern Pilgrimage|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PA-0mLsrmMwC&pg=PA21|date=March 2001|publisher=Wales Books|isbn=978-0-7596-0785-9|page=21}}</ref> The older church is {{convert|64|ft}} long; the newer church was built by [[Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick|Richard Neville]].<ref name="Newell1887" /> The grounds also include a 13th-century gatehouse, a monks' pigeon-house, ruined walls in a garden area, and mounds near the vicarage.<ref name="Newell1887" />