Strata Florida
The dedication of this small church is relevant to its location on the site of the ruined Cistercian monastery, as the order, like its founder, Bernard of Clairvaux, especially revered the Virgin Mary.
The present building dates from 1815, with restorations in 1875 and 1914, although an earlier church occupied the site, perhaps a chapel belonging to the abbey. It seems to have been of a similar design to the present church, but without a bellcote, and is depicted in the engraving of the abbey published by Samuel and Nathaniel Buck in 1741.
St Mary’s Church, Strata Florida, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6ES United Kingdom
St John the Baptist’s Church, Ystrad Meurig, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6AA United Kingdom
St Caron’s Church, Tregaron, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6JL United Kingdom
St David’s Church, Blaenpennal, Lledrod, Ceredigion, Wales, SY23 4TW United Kingdom
St Padarn’s Church, Llanbadarn Odwyn, Llangeitho, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6TZ, United Kingdom
St Ceitho’s Church, Llangeitho, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6TR, United Kingdom
St Lucia’s Church, Capel Betws Leucu, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6SW United Kingdom
St Gartheli’s Church, Gartheli, Nantcwnlle, Llwyn-y-groes, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 8PP United Kingdom
St David’s Church, Llanddewi Brefi, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6RX United Kingdom
St Cybi’s Church, Llangybi, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 8NG United Kingdom
St Bledrws’ Church, Betws Bledrws, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 8NX, United Kingdom
Church of St Mary, Llanfair Clydogau, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 8LJ United Kingdom
All Saints Church, Cellan, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 7ER, United Kingdom
St David’s Church, Llanycrwys, Ffarmers, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA19 8LX United Kingdom
St Llonio’s Church, Llanllwni, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA39 9LT United Kingdom
St Gwenog’s Church, Llanwenog, Cwrtnewydd, Ceredigion, Wales, SA40 9UT United Kingdom
St Peter’s Church, Llanybydder, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA40 9UD United Kingdom
St Patrick’s Church, Pencarreg, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA40 9QQ United Kingdom
St Peter’s Church, Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 7EL United Kingdom
Maestir Church, Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 7NU United Kingdom
St Gwynin’s Church, Llanwnnen, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 7LA United Kingdom
St James’ Church, Cwmann, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA48 8DU United Kingdom
Strata Florida is approached along a signposted lane from the village of Pontrhydfendigaid, which is on the B4343, north of Tregaron.
Postcode SY25 6ES
OS Grid Ref SN74656577
Ystrad Fflur, the Welsh name of the settlement, translates as Vale of Flowers, as well as its commonly used Latin name, Strata Florida, which, in turn, can be translated as layers or strata of flowers. In Christian visual tradition, and especially in Catholic circles, the Virgin Mary’s purity is artistically symbolised in depictions of flowers.
Outwardly plain, the church’s exterior belies its elegant Georgian interior. This consists of a nave and chancel, with the lower part of the windowless west wall built with stones plundered from the abbey site, upon one of which is a scratched date of 1759. The rounded medieval font and a possibly tenth-century cross-inscribed stone, are further reminders of an earlier history, together with other, typically Georgian features, notably the panelled west gallery, possibly provided for a parish band or choir.
Four bright stained glass windows by Powell’s of Whitefriars portray The Last Supper and a number of saints. The saints include St David and his mother St Non, as well as, appropriately on this site, Bernard of Clairvaux. The windows were all donated to the church in the 1960s by Sir David James, the locally-born founder of the Odeon cinema chain.
The churchyard contains an eclectic collection of graves and memorials, including one to Dafydd ap Gwilym, considered one of the greatest medieval Welsh poets.
A poignant epitaph is seen on the gravestone of an anonymous traveller who perished in Strata Florida’s adjacent uplands during a storm, whilst a most unusual tombstone stands over the 1756 burial of the amputated left leg and part thigh of Henry Hughes, who subsequently emigrated to America, where he died and was buried.
Other churches nearby
The Church of St Mary at Strata Florida is the southernmost church of those listed on the Peaceful Places website for churches in north Ceredigion.
