St Mary Magdalene's Church

St Mary Magdalene's Church stands in Mawdlam, a small hamlet in Bridgend County Borough, South Wales, close to the village of Kenfig. It is a medieval parish church with a square west tower, and it has Grade II* listed status, a rating given to particularly important buildings in Wales.

What is St Mary Magdalene's Church?

It is a stone church made up of a nave, a chancel and a west tower. Heritage records place its origins in the 13th century, with construction dated to 1245-1265. The Coflein archaeological record notes that the church is first mentioned in documents in 1255. Sources date the addition of the tower to around 1300, onto an earlier single-cell building.

Why is the church in Mawdlam?

The church has a close link with Kenfig, a medieval settlement on the coast whose original church of St James was gradually swallowed by shifting sand dunes. St Mary Magdalene's began as a chapelry, a subordinate place of worship, attached to that first Kenfig church. A charter from the years 1149-1183 records the Kenfig church as built around 1150. As the dunes advanced over the old town, the community around Mawdlam grew, and the name Mawdlam is a worn-down form of "Magdalene".

What does the building look like?

The church sits in a curvilinear churchyard, a rounded enclosure that measures roughly 58 metres across according to Coflein. A rounded boundary of this kind is often a sign of a long-established religious site. The square west tower gives the building a sturdy, simple profile typical of medieval churches in the region.

What changes has it seen over the centuries?

The church was restored in 1878 by the architect John Pritchard, at a cost of about 500 pounds. Later, between 1891 and 1894, the chancel was rebuilt by Waller & Son of Gloucester. These Victorian works mean the building you see today combines medieval fabric with nineteenth-century rebuilding.

The churchyard also contains a listed chest tomb, which has its own heritage entry as a separate protected structure.

Who will enjoy a visit?

The church suits anyone interested in medieval architecture, local history in South Wales, or the story of how the sands of Kenfig reshaped the surrounding settlements. It is a modest rural church rather than a major tourist attraction, so a visit is usually a short stop combined with exploring the nearby Kenfig area and its dunes.

Frequently asked questions

Where is St Mary Magdalene's Church? In Mawdlam, Bridgend County Borough, Wales, at coordinates around 51.5238, -3.7216.

How old is the church? Records date it to the 13th century, with a first documentary mention in 1255.

Is it a listed building? Yes, it is Grade II* listed.

Why is it connected to Kenfig? It began as a chapelry of the original St James' church in Kenfig, which was buried by sand.

When was it restored? In 1878, with the chancel rebuilt between 1891 and 1894.