St Enghenedl's Church, Llanynghenedl

St Enghenedl's Church, Llanynghenedl is a former parish church on Anglesey, in north Wales, with a story that stretches from early medieval tradition to a twentieth-century relocation. Today its fabric lives on in a different place, which makes it one of the more unusual church histories on the island.

Who was St Enghenedl?

The church is dedicated to Enghenedl, described as the son of a 6th-century King of Powys. Dedications like this link the parish to the early Welsh saints, whose names are still preserved in countless place names across Wales. The village name itself, Llanynghenedl, follows the familiar Welsh pattern: llan (church enclosure) followed by the name of the saint.

How old is the church?

According to the 19th-century antiquarian Angharad Llwyd, the first church at Llanynghenedl was erected around the year 620. No building from that age survives, but the tradition shows how long a place of worship is believed to have stood here.

The medieval church that followed was examined in the 19th century by the clergyman and antiquarian Harry Longueville Jones. Judging by the decoration of the south doorway, he dated part of it to the late 13th or early 14th century. That building was replaced in 1862 by a new church, built on the site of the old one.

Why did the church go out of use?

The parish church fell into disuse because of the growth of the nearby village of Valley and the church there. As population and services shifted toward Valley, the older rural church lost its role as the centre of local worship.

A church that moved

The most remarkable chapter came in 1988. St Enghenedl's was dismantled and then re-erected as an extension to St Mihangel's Church in Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn. The purpose was practical: it allowed St Mihangel's to serve as the church for RAF Valley, the Royal Air Force base nearby. The building was not demolished but given a new life in another location and with a new congregation.

What can you see today?

• The former churchyard of St Enghenedl's is still visible at Llanynghenedl, although it is now overgrown.
• The relocated church fabric forms part of St Mihangel's in Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn, linked to RAF Valley.

Frequently asked questions

Where is St Enghenedl's Church? The original site is at Llanynghenedl on Anglesey, close to the village of Valley in north Wales.

Is it still a parish church? No. It is a former parish church. The building was moved in 1988 and incorporated into another church.

When was the current building put up? A new church replaced the older medieval one in 1862, and that 1862 building was the one dismantled in 1988 and re-erected elsewhere.

Why is it linked to RAF Valley? The relocation extended St Mihangel's so that it could serve as the church for the RAF Valley base.

Can I visit the old churchyard? It remains visible, but it is overgrown, so expect rough ground rather than a tended site.