St Illtud's Galilee Chapel, St Illtud's Church, Llantwit Major

O’r braidd y gall unrhyw eglwys blwyf gynnig mwy i’r ymwelydd nag Eglwys Illtud Sant yn Llanilltud Fawr. Mae gan yr eglwys hon lle mae addoli Crist wedi parhau am dros 1500 o flynyddoedd yn ddi-baid, hanes nodedig nad yw eto wedi’i orffen.

Yn wreiddiol sylfaen Celtaidd yr oedd mewn llecyn ar Nant yr Ogni lle sefydlodd Illtud tua‘r flwyddyn 500 OC. Roedd Illtud yn un o’r saint Cymreig a deithiai ar hyd yr arfordiroedd gorllewinol gan gadw’r Efengyl yn fyw ar ô l i’r Rhufeiniaid encilio o’r wlad. Mae’r ysgol a sylfaenodd yn Llanilltud Fawr yn cael ei hadnabod fel y ganolfan dysg hynaf ym Mhrydain. Oddi yma sefydlodd ei hoffeiriaid eglwysi yn ei enw trwy Dde Cymru gyfan a Llydaw.

Daeth y Normaniaid yma ac adeiladu’r eglwys gerrig gyntaf, yna ychwanegwyd ati yn y drydedd ganrif ar ddeg, cyfnod mawr o adeiladu eglwysi yn y Fro. Gall ymwelwyr weld rhes o drysorau canoloesol a diweddarach – cornelyn Jesse prin o’r drydedd ganrif ar ddeg wedi’i gerfio o garreg, peintiadau mur o Gristopher Sant a Mair Magdalen, allor canoloesol a oedd unwaith yn garreg fedd, delwau canoloesol ac o oes Elizabeth, sgrin addurnol ryfeddol wedi’i gwneud o gerrig wedi’u cludo o Portland a’r Mendips.

Does dim rhyfedd i John Wesley pan fu’n pregethu yma yn 1777 ddisgrifio eglwys Illtud Sant fel yr harddaf yng Nghymru.

Trysor mwyaf yr eglwys yw ei chasgliad o gerrig a chroesau Celtaidd, o’r nawfed ganrif yn bennaf. Mae un groes wedi’i disgrifio fel y groes harddaf ym Morgannwg, tra bod dwy garreg yn gofiannau i frenhinoedd lleol.

Y problem yw fod y cerrig yn cael eu cadw mewn eglwys brysur fywiog ac er mwyn eu gweld yn agosach mae’n angenrheidiol i neidio dros fynach canoloesol, yna dringo dros bentwr o gadeiriau gan beryglu aelod o’r corff os nad bywyd.

Yn ffodus mae pethau ar fin newid. Mae’r eglwys wedi derbyn grant treftadaeth oddi wrth y Loteri i ddechrau datblygiad i ail-adeladu Capel Galilee adfeiliol di-do ar derfyn gorllewinol Illtud Sant. Y cynllun yw i leoli strwythur modern y tu mewn a thros y muriau sy’n bodoli – dehongliad o’r unfed ganrif ar hugain i hen problem. Fe gaiff y cerrig a’r delweddau eu symud i mewn fel y cam cyntaf i sefydlu canolfan addysgiadol a fydd yn adrodd hanes Cristnogaeth Gymreig a Cheltaidd. Bydd adnoddau ymchwil mynediad i’r anabl gyda thoiledau a chegin mewn festri gyfagos.

Mae llawer o’r gronfa ar gael yn barod, ond cyn diwedd y flwyddyn bydd rhaglen o weithgareddau i godi arian.

There can hardly be a parish church that can offer more to a visitor than St Illtud’s Church Llantwit Major. This church, on a site where Christ has been worshipped for over 1,500 years without a break, has a remarkable story, which is not yet finished.

It was originally a Celtic foundation, at a spot on the Ogney Brook where Illtud settled about the year 500. Illtud was one of the Welsh saints who travelled by the western seaways, keeping the Gospel alive after the retreat of the Romans. The school which he founded at Llantwit has been identified as the oldest centre of learning in Britain. From here, its priests set up churches in his name all through South Wales and Brittany.

The Normans came here and built the first stone church, then added to it in the 13^th century, a great period of church building in the Vale. Visitors can see a range of medieval and later treasures – a rare 13^th century Jesse niche carved in stone, wall paintings of St Christopher and Mary Magdelene, a medieval alter that was once a gravestone, medieval and Elizabethan effigies, and a remarkable reredos, made of stone brought from Portland and the Mendips.

It was no wonder that when John Wesley preached here in 1777 he described St Illtud’s in his journal as the most beautiful church in Wales.

The greatest treasure of the church is its collection of Celtic crosses and stones, mainly from the 9^th century. One cross has been described as the finest Celtic carved cross in Glamorgan, while two stones are memorials to local kings.

The stones are kept in a busy, active church, and unfortunately are not currently easily accessible. However this is about to change. The church has received a Heritage Lottery grant to begin development on rebuilding a roofless ruined Galilee Chapel on the west end of St Illtud’s. The plan is to place a modern structure inside and over the existing walls – a 21^st century solution to an old problem. The stones and effigies will be moved in as the first stage in establishing an educational centre which will tell the story of Celtic and Welsh Christianity. There will facilities for research and disabled access, with toilets and a tea station in an adjoining sacristy.

Much of the funding is already in place, but before the end of the year there will be a programme of fund raising activities.

The Project Launch will take place in at St Illtud’s on 7th November 2009, from 11.30am to 12.30pm. All welcome. Details to follow …