Our History:

This is the fourth church on this site since Mabon founded the first place of Christian worship here in the sixth century.

Who was Mabon?

Mabon was the brother of St. Teilo, Bishop of Llandaff in the sixth century. Unlike his brother, and most of the other Celtic saints, Mabon appears not to have wandered around the countryside founding Christian communities. Mabon seems to have been content staying in this place, for this is the only church dedicated to him. (There is another Mabon later in date than ours in Mid and North Wales.)

Such a location is not as remote as it seems, for Llanfabon lies on one of the east-west routes across Wales, coming from Mynyddislwyn and Gelligaer, and going on to Llanwynno, Ystradyfodwg, Llangynwydd and Neath. We also have a Holy Well dedicated to Mabon, now on private land, some several hundred yards from the church. This was considered beneficial for those suffering with problems of the legs, or of the joints in general.

History:

Mabon's original church would have been a simple wooden structure that has left no remains after 1500 years. The first historical mention of a church building is a reference in the Vatican Archives to the rebuilding of the church by the Earl of Hereford in the eleventh century.

It was this building that, by 1836, had fallen into such disrepair that the then Rector was writing to the Church Building Society requesting grants for a programme of restoration --- some things never change!! It appears this appeal was not successful for, by 1846, it was decided to demolish the medieval building and rebuild. The architect was John Pritchard, who was later to restore Llandaff Cathedral. We now think there was not a complete demolition of the medieval church, but that part of the chancel arch and part of the wall behind the organ were incorporated into the rebuilding. There is also the fact that Pritchard rebuilt in the Romanesque style, which may suggest there was something left of the previous church to inspire him or to copy from. Certainly this is the only church Pritchard built in the Romanesque style, he being better known for his Gothic churches. Whatever the case, the church has been very heavily 'Victorianised'.

Description:

St. Mabon's Church is a simple two-celled structure of nave and chancel separated by an arch. There is a small vestry on the north side of the chancel, and a bellcote with a single bell over the western gable. Entry is either by the west door and its moulded arch, or by the south door, which has a plain doorway inside a porch.

Entering by the south door we come to the Baptistery and the font. It is unlikely this is the medieval font as the carving of the Celtic motifs is so fresh and unworn. The nave is lit by single-light, deeply splayed windows, now mostly filled with Victorian stained-glass. The pews are plain, as is the pulpit. The floor under the pews has recently been renewed on the installation of central heating. The opportunity was taken for an archaeological dig that found the remains of 103 individuals. Who they were remains a mystery, but they still lie under the new floor after being examined by the archaeologists. On the walls of the nave are various memorial tablets. We have recently discovered that the memorial nearest the pulpit was carved in Italy, with the lettering added locally; and would have been chosen from a catalogue --- an early example of Victorian mail-order!! Perhaps the most poignant is the other memorial on the north wall to a member of the Leigh family. Henry Leigh was a former Rector's grandson and was killed on the last day of the First World War, 11th November 1918, the day of the Armistice. His family probably heard the war was over before they heard he had been killed.

The chancel has a three-light window at the east end, now filled with Victorian glass of the Resurrection, Crucifixion and Ascension of Christ. The reredos behind the altar was carved by local craftsman, Abner Rusbatch, who went on to restore the choir stalls at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Hanging from the chancel ceiling is a large Victorian oil-lamp, now converted to electricity. The north wall of the chancel, before the vestry was added, was originally completely plain, and outside was originally free of graves. This made it ideal for the playing of the game of fives, a form of handball. So popular was this game during the 18th and 19th centuries, it was even played during the time of Divine Service on Sundays. In the early 19th century the then Rector was so annoyed by this practise that he persuaded the landlord of the Royal Oak to donate some land to build a fives court. You can still see this at the bottom of High Street in Nelson village.

Churchyard:

The church is surrounded by many old graves, mostly dating from the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. One grave, to the north and west of the west door, is inscribed in Welsh, "Here lies Gwilym Morganwg." This was the bardic name of Thomas Williams (1778-1835), a poet and friend of Iolo Morganwg, who made Thomas a member of the revived Gorsedd of Bards in 1814. In 1819 the Gorsedd became part of the National Eisteddfod, and Williams served a time as Archdruid of Wales. In the Churchyard Extension, across the road, by the right-hand wall is the Albion Colliery Disaster Memorial, which takes the form of an angel and ten plain headstones. The Albion Colliery was in Cilfynydd, which used to be in this parish, and suffered a major explosion in June 1894, killing 281. Such was the devastation that eleven bodies could not be identified and were buried here. The memorial was erected in 1907, and unveiled by William Abraham (Mabon), MP and leader of the Miners' Union. There are also individual graves which recall other tragedies, such as the Senghenydd Colliery Disaster of 1913 and the Aberfan Disaster of 1966.

The parish also features in Welsh folklore; in The Bell of Llanwynno and The Changeling of Llanfabon. In the first story the men of Llanfabon decide to steal the 'silver-tongued' bell of Llanwynno Church. On their way back to Llanfabon they are startled by the full moon appearing from behind clouds. They drop the bell and are thus discovered. Above Pontypridd Old Bridge is Rhyd-y-Gloch (Ford of the Bell). In the second story a widow consults the sage of Castell-y-Nos to rescue her child from the fairies. The castle was cursed through being built of stones from the ruined Llanfabon Church. Whatever was built by day was torn down by night. One of the fields of the neighbouring farm is called Waun Castell (Castle Meadow) and seems to have contained a stone building.

Despite its long history St. Mabon's remains a living church, with a small but committed regular congregation. Details of the Sunday Services can be found on the Website.

Christopher Reaney, Rector.

First published 2002. Revised 2006.