This passage forms part of historian Fred Hando’s journey through Gwent, and continuing from Abercarn church .

Continue along the same road to drop down to join the B4233 near Llantilio Corssenny. Hen Cwrt is at the junction of the two roads. A footpath from here also leads across the fields to the church and village.

In this village the folk still talk of Llantilio Crosseny. ‘Liantelio’ it should be, for the beautiful church on the bill commemorates Saint Teilo.

Saint Teilo, Bishop of Llandaff in the sixth century, was the son of Saint Tegtedd to whom. the lovely old church of Liandegfedd was dedicated.

When the Saxons attacked this district, Iddon, sore oppressed, sought assistance from the godly Teilo Whom he found praying on the mount ‘in the middle of Cressinic’ and prayed fervently while Iddon and his men fought and defeated the invaders.

The king gave the mount and the land around it to the saint and it is therefore fitting that the church dedicated to Teilo should stand on the hillock where the saint prayed.

As my sketch shows, Llantilio - a ‘city built upon a hill’ cannot he hidden. The graceful on the central tower, like the spires of Grosmont, Ross and Monmouth forms a landmark for miles around and gives character to the park-like countryside.

Sunday we sat in a meadow above the ‘moat’ (where the battle took place) and listened to the bells of Llantilio. Of these bells, five are inscribed with prayers for the church and Queen Anne, and the sixth dated 1821, with a prayer for the church, and for ‘peace and good neighbourhood.’

As we sat and listened, the ringer played the old hymns of our childhood. and their music combined with the tinkle of the bird-song to induce a sense of peace which also recalled childhood Sabbaths.

Peace reigned within the grey church. Tall perpendicular arches replace the early English nave arcade, although the lancet windows survive at the ends of the aisles. The chancel is of the decorated period.

In the north wall of the noble church of Llantilio is the window of Sir David Gam, installed there during this century. In the shield are the three Vaughan children's heads with necks coupled and entwined by serpents; the three spearheads and chevron represents Sir David's descent from Maenarch, who was fourteenth in descent from Caradawg, one of the knights on Kin Arthur's Round Table.

The inscription reads:

DAV GAM EQV AVR DOM

LLANTILIO CROSSENNY

OCCISUS IN CAMPO AGIN-

COURT ANo. 1415.

The name 'Gam' has been preserved through the centuries by family names such as Games, Gamsan, Gamblin. Theophilus Jones notes that the great family which once owned the whole county of Brecknock was represented in his day by 'one Games, the common bellman of Brecon.

Continue along the B4233 to reach a .junction with the B4347 where you turn left for Rockfield.

What a soothing sight for a townsmans eyes! Embosomed by hillside trees, an exquisite church with timbered tower adds its beauty of holiness to the white cottages, the widespread green, and Monnow.

A grand setting for a cricket match some would say. Perfect for residential flats, money grabbing developers would croak. Fifty, Sixty, Sixty-Five, records the speedometer motorcyclist flashes along the riverside road.

Of course, every motorist drives through - I repeat, through - Rockfield. Can I persuade him. I wonder, to 'rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing?'

In a graceful meander the Monmow has curved from old my Perth-hir to greet the village. I parked my car near the cottages on the green and walked alongside the river while it talks to me of Craswall and Longtown, of Cloddock and Alltyrynys, of Grosmont and Skenfrith. Still charged with the mountain oxygen of the Hatterralls, it dances its way to Abermynwy and the Severn.

I took the church lane. Near the lych-gate I paused, charmed by the Benedictine inscription under the archway of the well. 'O ye Wells, bless ye the Lord.'

This is an extract from Hando’s Gwent, Volume One, edited by Chris Barber.