The 10.Ceirchiog-BetwsyGrog-'TheHolyRood’ Introduction Thisshouldbeasiteofalmostunpeakable sadness.Theghostofachurchthatonly stillexistsbecauseofthesolidityofits boundary.Brokenmonumentsbecomeits ownmonumentandnaturereclaimsits Location structure. It'saremoteandquitebeautifulsettingGo andseeit,thereispoweranddramain theseoldstones... AVisit HolyroodissightablefromthebridgeovertheA55asyoudriveawayfrom Dothan/Engedi,therearetworoundaboutsandifyoulookintothefieldstoyour leftfromthesecondyoucanseeitswalls.Thereisnorealparkingforthissite, grabaspaceflankingthegateintothefieldshortlyafterthesecondroundabout, butplease,don'tblockitasthisisaworkingfarm.Backtrackafewyardstoastile thatleadsyouintothefield.Crossthisandwalkacrossthefieldkeepingcloseto thefencetoyourleft.Keepleftwhenyoureachasmallstream/hedgeandyoucan NGR:SH361769:Thereisa slitheryourwayacrossamuddytraversetoemergeinanovergrownsection doubleroundaboutabovethe dominatedbyaladderstile.Beverycarefulcrossingthisstileandpreferablybring A55attheturningfor apairofgardeningglovestobequitesafeofthethorns. Rhosneigr.Justoffthe Onceyoucrossthecollapsedgateand northernroundaboutthe enterthechurchyardyoureachaplacethat footpathsigncanbeseenon shouldfeelmelacholic.Verylittleremainsof yourleft. thechuchitself,justacollectionofstumped stonesmarkitsfoundations.Acollapsed crossmarksthespotandyoufindyourself Access: Accessibleviapublic surroundedbyascatteringofdecaying footpathWheelchairaccess:Could burialmonumentsandfallentrees.It's probablybeaccessedby4X4with quietlybleakandyougetthefeelingof permissionofthelandowner. havingjusttickedoffaplacetovisit,but stopandlookaround.Peace.Trees. ServiceTimes: Noneknown. Thenrealiseyou'reinanoldplaceanddrinkitin.thiswasthecentreofa community,thiswasthecentreoftheirworld.Suddenlyitfeelshuman,nowit LocalAmenities: NearbyBryngwran feelslikeaholysite. andGwalchmaibothhavevillage Verylittlehistoryisknownofthechurch,agazeteerpublishedin1833describesit shopsandpubs.BothHolyheadand as'verysmallandveryancient'anddescribestheparishitservedasacuracy Llangefniareeasytoreachviathe attachedtothechurchatLlanbeulan(No.9onthetrail).It'snameCeirchiogbeing A55orA5. derivedfromtheWelshnameforoatswhichwerethechiefcropgrownhere.The parishmusthavehadsomeimportancehoweverasitreturnedarepresentativeto theAngleseyPoorLawBoard.Whatisknownisthatthechurchclosedin1834 whentheparishwasamalgamatedwithLlechylched,andtheHolyTrinityin Bryngwranbecametheparishchurch. Whileyou’reinthearea Thisareaislitteredwithancientsites.OneofthelesserknownistheburialchamberatTy Newyddwithitsmassivecapstone(SH344739).OverlookingtheferryterminalinHolyhead, thehistoricchurchofSt.CybisitssurroundedbyitsRomanenclosure.Insidethereismuchto seeincludingastainedglasswindowbyWilliamMorrisandsomeveryfineVictorianstatuary. ThestoryofthesaintsCybiandSeiriolareverymuchpartofthehisoryofthechurchin Anglesey. www.celtic-circle.co.uk ©2008TheCelticCircle.