Cylchgronau Cymru

121 DISCOVERIES AT LLANBLETHIAN CHURCH, GLAMORGANSHIRE. BY CHARLES B. FOWLER, ESQ., F.R.T.B.A. The church of Llanblethian (situated about a mile and a half from the town of Cowbridge, Glamorgan¬ shire) has been undergoing extensive alterations and repairs during the past year under my supervision, during which time very many interesting remains have been from time to time brought to light; most notably a crypt underneath the south chapel, and the walled grave of a priest with a chalice. The high, old- fashioned pews when cleared away revealed the site of the altar and piscina, also the existence of a recessed tomb in the south wall. In excavating for the drainage, a sepulchral-effigy stone was found with an incised slab underneath, built in to form a foundation for the south¬ west buttress of the tower, which is of Perpendicular style (about the middle of the fifteenth century). Fig. 1. This sepulchral slab served as a step to the entrance gate to the churchyard for many years. It is broken in two. It is a flat coffin-lid belonging to the twelfth, or earlier part of the thirteenth, century, and is of limestone about 2 ins. in thickness. Fig. 2. This stone was found under the effigy (fig. 5), built into the foundation of the south-west buttress of the tower. It is of Sutton stone, and 8 ins. in thick¬ ness. It must have lain in this position since the year 1450, when the tower was built. Fig. 3. This slab was found reversed over the walled grave of the priest discovered in the south chapel over the crypt some months back. The inscription 5TH 8KB., vol,. XV. 9