Church of Saint Cadoc

Quite a large village church for its age, parts of which are over 500 years old. Particularly unique are the recently uncovered wall paintings, including St George killing a dragon, and depictions of the Seven mortal sins. Wonderful to see these preserved and in situ, as they rarely survive the ravages of time.

A small secluded village in the heart of the Vale of Glamorgan with a hidden gem. This church discovered medieval drawings and is considered one of the best finds and examples of this type of drawing in the UK.
The church has some interesting history, and can be accessed during the day. It is next to the local pub that does fab food. Please give a donation to the further works in the church. There may be more of these drawings yet to be discovered!! Also Google it for further info.

The treasures of Llancarfan - part of St Thomas Way - include the stunning wall paintings in St Cadoc’s Church, which give a glimpse into the medieval imagination.

St Cadoc’s Church dates from the thirteenth century, though it is located on the site of the earlier clas (monastery church) of the sixth-century saint, Cadoc, an early Christian missionary credited with establishing churches in Cornwall, Britanny and Scotland, as well as here in Wales. Known as Cattwg Ddoeth, or ‘Cadoc the Wise’, the saint is remembered in sources including the Vita Cadoci, written around 1086 by Lifris of Llancarfan. The Vita includes a story about Cadoc’s encounter with King Arthur.

Medieval features in the church include thirteenth-century arcading in the nave, with carved heads and grapes decorating the corbel capitals, as well as the canopy work of the (now much damaged) reredos, and the screen enclosing the Raglan Chapel (east bays of the south aisle).

However, the greatest medieval treasures here were only re-discovered in 2008: spectacular fifteenth-century wall paintings hidden behind limewash on the walls.

These paintings include a spectacular depiction of St George slaying the dragon, while a damsel looks on and others (her parents?) watch from inside their castle. Finding this ‘English’ saint in a Welsh church may come as a surprise, but of course St George was widely venerated in the Middle Ages, and this scene is a powerful symbol of good triumphing over evil. Another wall painting shows a ‘Death and the Gallant’ – a fashionable young man holding hands with a skeleton, still wrapped in his grave shroud. This stark image, with links to medieval ‘Dance of Death’ traditions, is a chilling reminder of human mortality, and a reminder to viewers to disregard transient pleasures and set their sights on eternity. Finally, the wall paintings depicting the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Works of Mercy provide another window into medieval beliefs and popular piety.

Conservation work on these paintings is ongoing: more detail is being discovered all the time. (Please note that there may be periods when the church is closed to visitors during these works.)

(Find out more also on the St Thomas Way website).

A small, medieval white washed village church containing stunning Murals which it is thought may have been concealed during the Reformation.
The Murals were only discovered by accident during recent restoration work which is still in progress.
The exposure of the Murals is clearly painstaking work and is humbling to behold.
A special joy was to find the Church actually open for visitors to see the priceless contents without having to make a special request for access.
St Cadocs is in the tiny village of Llancarfan, accessed from the main road is via a narrow predominantly single track lane with passing points.

A truly stunning historical church. The paintings, although strange, are mesmerising. There's plenty of information available at the church explaining it's origins and restoration.

Thank Ian for a fascinating talk about these lively medieval folklore and early religious, moral ideas.

Truly beautiful church in a very pretty village. Church is very welcoming and has some very impressive old wall paintings which were discovered during refurbishment and a lot more has been uncovered and preserved since. Good display of their background. Very well worth a visit. Contributions from visitors towards the upkeep of the church and preservation of the wall paintings very welcome.

Ancient, peaceful, the sound of running water outside in the grounds are an echo of the Living Water worshipped within, I guess, couldn't go in. not open when I passed through.