St Elli Parish Church

St Elli Parish Church…

This Grade 2 listed Church is the oldest church in Llanelli. A religious cell was found during the 5th and 6th Century and the monastery was fortified in the 12th Century but since then the interior and fabrication of the church has gone under numerous renovations.

It is believed that the Parish Church is built on or near a pagan shrine. Many of the Vaughan and Stepney’s are buried in the grounds.

The tower dates back to the 12th Century where it has 3 floors; the Bellringer’s floor, the Clock floor and the Belfry. The tower housed 8 bells and engraved into 6 of the bells is the name Reverend Ebenezer Morris and a vicar’s warden, T Samuel.

For some time in the middle ages, the church was used as a Roman Catholic Church. The Piscina, which was used by priests to clean the vessels used at the Eucharist is still there today.

In the 15th Century the church homed 6 chalices and 5 bells. In 1574, Queen Elizabeth I presented the church with a silver chalice which is used on two occasions; the Holy Eucharist at midnight mass on Christmas Eve and the Holy Eucharist on Easter Sunday.

The church was last restored in 1907 and is said 13 mice were carved within the church with the signatures of the craftsmen. Only 6 of the mice have been identified. The church had a tower and a spire which was quite unusual and not like any other church, but unfortunately most of the feature had to be taken down and modified in the 19th Century due to it being unsafe.

The church is still being used today for services and weddings. It is a lovely church and a great historical building to Llanelli.