Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Remains of monastic settlement including tower and walls
Llangoed, Isle of Anglesey, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade I
- Broad class
- Religious, Ritual and Funerary
- Date of designation
- 30 January 1968
- Locality
- Puffin Island
- Community
- Llangoed
- Unitary authority
- Isle of Anglesey
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.31916, -4.02560
- Cadw reference
- 5528
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1883 "Watershed map England, Wales 3." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Located in the central part of the small island of Priestholm, or Puffin Island, off the SE tip of the Isle of Anglesey.
History
No records remain of the early history of the settlement, though it is probable that it was founded in the early days of Christianity and parts of the enclosure walls are thought (by RCAHM) to be possibly as early as C7. The settlement includes a partly ruined C12 church of which the only part now standing is the central tower.
Exterior
Remains of a monastic settlement comprising outer boundary wall with the foundations of 3 or 4 rectangular cells to the NW; the enclosure is roughly oblong in shape, split into 2 compounds by a single wall offset to the NE end. Within the SW compound are the remains of the C12 church building of which only the central tower stands. To its W are the foundations of the nave, parts of the S wall of which are now within the walls of a late C19 cottage, also built over the site of a S transept to S of the tower. To the E is a late C19 building over the site of the chancel (excavated in 1896).
The central C12 tower is of 2 stages and has a squat pyramidal roof. Built of local rubble masonry; on the E wall the roofline of the early chancel is visible, with that of the C13 above. The crossing has original round arched opposite doorways in E and W walls; the W doorway is now filled in. Above the centre of the E doorway a Roman box-tile is built in. To the S is an opening with a roughly-constructed semi-circular arch cutting through the reveals of a narrow round-headed window; the arch gave access to a S transept, the site now occupied by a small cottage. The upper stage of the tower is marked by a plain projecting string course and has original round-headed windows in each wall; those to S and W of 2 lights with the shafts missing.
Reason for designation
Listed for its importance as the remains of an early monastic settlement which includes a substantially intact C12 tower.
Ancient Monument No 1/3088/AN 064 (ANG).
Nearby in the register
- Tower & Remains of Church and Monastic Settlement on Puffin IslandMonastic settlementunder 1 mi
- Former Telegraph StationMaritimeunder 1 mi
- Trwyn Du, or Black Point, LighthouseMaritimeunder 1 mi
- Pilot's Cottage (former No 2)Domesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.