![](http://www.alamy.com/thumbs/6/77A9A13B-C810-440B-8B04-75124D80DAF9/WW69WF.jpg)
Gwaenysgor church, Flintshire, Wales, UK, looking N through the iron churchyard gates & overarch. The churchyard is managed as a 'wildlife sanctuary'.
Gwaenysgor church, Flintshire, Wales, UK, looking N through the iron churchyard gates & overarch. The churchyard is managed as a 'wildlife sanctuary' with areas left to grow, flower & seed then the cut hay raked into 'wildlife piles'. The formerly circular churchyard suggests a Celtic foundation, possibly on the site of a pagan Roman/Romano-British shrine/religious site (a bronze figurine of a saddled horse was found in 1875 on top of a newly dug grave). The parish & a church existed when the Domesday Book was compiled in 1068. The present church dates back to at least Medieval times, possibly Norman. Bells were rung to announce a death at several churches in the Clwydian Range & at Gwaenysgor funeral processions from house to church were led by the parish clerk ringing a handbell.
Size: 3756px × 5061px
Location: St Mary Magdalene's Church, Gwaenysgor, Flintshire, Wales, UK
Photo credit: © Mick Sharp / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: aonb, arch, archway, area, beauty, bellcote, britain, british, celtic, chamber, christian, christianity, church, churchyard, circular, clwyd, clwydian, clwydians, cut, early, ecology, entrance, flintshire, gateposts, gates, gateway, great, gwaenysgor, hay, hills, iron, isles, kingdom, magdalene, magdalenes, main, mary, medieval, natural, north, outstanding, overarch, pile, porch, range, sanctuary, sandstone, saxon, single, south, st, uk, united, wales, wall, welsh, wildlife