Church of St Hywel

The Church of St Hywel is a parish church with uncertain medieval origins, possibly dating from the 14th to 15th century, and underwent significant restoration in the late 19th century. It is constructed from rubble stone and features roofs covered with graded small slates. The church comprises a nave, chancel, and north chapel. The nave is topped by a large plain gabled bellcote that includes a round-headed bell-niche on the west side. There are indications that both the nave and bellcote were raised, likely during the 19th-century restoration.

The windows, all from the 19th century, are made of purple Caerfai sandstone and consist of two lights with ogee heads and clear lattice glazing. There is one window on the west wall, one on the north chapel's north wall, and two on the south wall, where the original wall was reduced to just above sill height and rebuilt thinner. The lower wall and window sills are capped with slate. The chancel features a similar three-light east window, while the north wall of the nave has a 19th-century pointed arched flush doorway. The north chapel projects and has an unusual broad passage leading to the chancel, with the east roof slope continuing down over the passage to the canted northeast wall.

The churchyard is enclosed by rubble walls and contains scattered memorials. Inside, the nave has a four-bay 19th-century roof with arched-braced collar-trusses, an apex king-post, and angle struts. The chancel and north chapel have plain plastered low arches, with corbelled rough blocks indicating the line of the rood screen—three on the east wall and one on the north wall. The north chapel also has a plastered roof, with recesses on the west side wall and a small recess on the east wall, as well as another in the wall of the passage to the chancel. The chancel features a two-bay roof similar to that of the nave.

Furnishings include a 5th or 6th-century burial stone inscribed ‘RINACI NOMENA’ from Upper Carnhedryn Farm, a 12th-century square scalloped font on a circular shaft and square base, and 19th-century pews, pulpit, and reading desk. The sanctuary is adorned with encaustic tiles, and an early 19th-century chamber organ was installed in 1975.