St Bilo Church, Brecon, United Kingdom

St Bilo's church is dedicated to a local saint named Bilo, or Beilo, daughter of Brychan. The dedication was recorded as early as the 13th century, but curiously, the church was known for many years as St Milburga's, after the daughter of a 7th century Mercian king and abbess of Wenlock. There must have been a Norman church here, for a reused lintel shows Norman carving motifs, but the building is almost entirely 14th century and later.

The chancel was rebuilt in 1710, and in the 19th century the west end of the church was blocked off and used as a schoolroom. In the south wall is a small window in Early English style, possibly a hermit, or leper window, and in the north wall is a blocked priest's door topped with a lintel carved with a traditional Norman diamond motif, suggesting an 11th-12th century date.

References:

britainexpress.com

Religious sites in United Kingdom

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David Ford (6 years ago)

Crystal (6 years ago)

Richard Camp (10 years ago)
All very interesting history of the church; it might be added that Mrs Dawson's "Churches of Breconshire (1909) quotes the inscription from the church Bible: "..was deposited on the anniversary of the battle of Salamanca. on which glorious occasion...I added to the trophies of the day by the capture of a French eagle. The Duke of Wellington made me a captain for it.". The inscription is signed by "Wm. Pearce, Lt Col., Knight of the Order of the Han.Guelphic Order, 22 July, 1860." William Pearce has a monument designed by J.E. Thomas, in the churchyard. Mrs Dawson also explains the name of the church (and village):"from the Yspitty or Hospitium of the Priory of Malverne, which was here situated." Wonderful work on the churchyard. Shame that the church, like so many, now has to be eternally locked; it would help also if your website gave service times and if any of the `Contact Us' links actually worked.

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