While others may enjoy partaking of several pubs in an evening, from time to time I employ the same principle to explore churches. On this particular occasion I was on the hunt for a trio of redundant churches in Monmouthshire, although one of them remained rather elusive!
My first port of call was St Michael and All Angels in Gwenesney, tucked away down a single track road. Maintained by the Friends of the Friendless Churches this was a gem of a church, with some beautiful contrasts of light and shadow inside, created by sun percolating through the leaded light windows.
Click on any of the photos to see them enlarged
From Gwernesney I continued my explorations at a larger church just a few miles down the road in Llangwym Uchaf. I arrived just before a torrential downpour and as the skies darkened I wondered how I was going to take photos inside, with no artificial light to help me.
Gradually the clouds lifted and my eyes adjusted to the gloom and I found that perhaps photography was going to be possible.
My plans for a third Welsh church were scuppered by my unimaginative satnav, which insisted I should try crossing a field from a dual carriageway sliproad to reach it. I decided against the necessary off-roading so it would have to wait for another day!
Instead I continued my journey to Wiltshire and found an alternative church to visit…
My final church of the day was St Margaret of Antioch in the village of Leigh Delamere in Wiltshire. Inside I found another dark interior, but one illuminated by some vividly coloured stained glass.
Photos taken 25 June 2022