in the text. The Holywell-St Davids route is reasonably well defined on the basis of C17 road maps listing
it as the Pilgrims Way. As I'm only dealing with N Wales, I stop in the Bala area at the shrine in Llandderfel. See the Pennant Melangell page for routes linking this route to that shrine.
a) from Holywell, the route goes via Ysceifiog to Ruthin, but as the church
at Ysceifiog is a Victorian rebuild of little interest (the cross marked on OS is the stump of the medieval churchyard cross), and as I've already
described the Shrewsbury route as going via neighbouring Nannerch, use that (9km)
b) the obvious route over the hills would be the pass between Penycloddiau
and Moel Arthur, so take that lane to Llangwyfan and turn R into the village and the church; (CPAT; a simple church - no medieval remains but an unspoilt Georgian interior) (7km)
c) there are several interesting churches in the Vale of Clwyd but pride
of place must go to Llanynys, so head there via the paths to Llandyrnog (CPAT;
fine medieval stained glass) (2km)
d) take the lanes to Llanynys, where the church of St Saeran was once the mother church for the area, which is why it's so big for such a tiny hamlet (CPAT
- note particularly the wall painting of St Christopher, the hammerbeamed
roof and the medieval hexagonal stone). The churchyard is circular(ish),
and whilst there are yews curiously none of them are of any age. The parish website describes
it as 'the pilgrim church' and they plan to develop it as a pilgrim and prayer
centre. According to the church guide there was a well on the road to Llanrhaeadr,
but I could find no trace of this. Saeran's well is near Derwen (see below). (3km)
e) next stop is Ruthin, but I would recommend a detour to visit another exceptional
church, that of Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch. This has a wonderful medieval
Jesse tree stained-glass window, a fine hammerbeam roof and much else besides
(CPAT).
The reason for such splendours was the healing powers of the holy well of
St Dyfnog in the woods behind the church. Though the medieval well-buildings have
vanished, the pool is still in good shape; so much so that on my last visit
I found the Ruthin Christian Fellowship actually conducting
baptisms in it: four youngsters and one older lady were immersed. This detour
is around 3km there plus 3km back.
take the river path from Llanynys to Ruthin, although you can also make the
slight detour E to Llanychan NW of Clwyd Hall (CPAT
- small rebuild but with a circular churchyard indicating ancient origin).
Ruthin was another Edwardian borough which in the C14 had an Augustinian collegiate church, though little remains of this (CPAT).
(Llanynys to Ruthin 6km)
f) the next stage on the old maps is Clocaenog, to which a lane leads from
Llanfwrog. So either take the main road from Ruthin to Llanfwrog, or, quieter,
use the river path S and the cross path W, and climb up the B-road to the
church (CPAT),
a rebuild with medieval remnants, such as the tower; churchyard probably originally
circular. (1km)
g) to Clocaenog I'ld recommend the lane via Efenechtyd, where the tiny church
(CPAT)
contains an unusual medieval wooden font as well as some wall-painting fragments;
there are yews round the circular churchyard. (2km)
h) continue on the lanes to Clocaenog, where the church houses a fine rood
screen; there is an ancient yew but according to CPAT
'no evidence whatsoever that this was originally a circular churchyard'. According
to John & Rees, the white house called Paradwys was originally a pilgrims'
inn. (4km)
i) take the lane to Clawdd Newydd and the lane from here to Melin-y-Wig is
supposed to be the original pilgrim road. It passes Ffynnon Sarah, the healing
well of Saeran of Llanynys - though why his well should be here isn't recorded.
It was however nicely restored in the 1970s by the rector and is a remote
and atmospheric place. From here it's worth making the detour to Derwen, where
the church (CPAT) has a fine rood screen, and outside is an equally fine C15 preaching cross,
now in the hands of CADW. From
Melin-y-Wig continue along the pilgrim lane to Bettws Gwerfil Goch. The oratory
here (CPAT) was supposedly founded for pilgrims by Gwerfil, a redheaded princess, hence
the name. Inside, note particularly the wooden panels behind the altar, probably
from the original rood screen. The old house backing on to the churchyard
was reportedly a pilgrim inn. (11km from Clocaenog, plus 2km detour to Derwen)
j) from here, the pilgrim road continued on to Maerdy, where it crosses what
is now the busy A5, and then crossed the Cefn Caer Euni to Sarnau. This is
still followable today along lanes and paths. From Sarnau to the next medieval
church (Victorian rebuild), at Llanfor, is now the main road but it's possible
to follow paths to the N. However, it's highly likely that pilgrims would
have deviated S to see the renowned image of Derfel at Llandderfel; a fragment
can still be seen in the porch. Again, the size of the church is due to the
numbers of pilgrims who came for this image. In the church is another fine
rood screen. Ffynnon Derfel is marked on OS, though Jones has little to say
about it. (10km to Sarnau, then 5km to Llanfor or 3km to Llandderfel)
The pilgrim route continued past Bala Lake and over the Bwlch y Groes (Pass
of the Cross), the highest pass road in Wales, to Machynlleth and on to St
Davids, via either the monastery of Llanbadarn Fawr or that of Strata Florida.
That is however no longer N Wales, so does not form part of this site. See
Pennant Melangell route for links there.