Llanfaglan has been a sacred site for more than fifteen hundred years. The large churchyard, the presence of a stone pillar dating to the 5th or early 6th century, the church's dedication to St Baglan and the close proximity of a Holy Well, all attest to its early possible pre-Christian origins. Ffynnon Faglan (St Baglan's Holy Well) was a 'pin well', this being a well where bent pins were thrown into the water in the hope of a miracle cure, sadly it no longer exists. In 1855 the stone pillar was uncovered being reused as a lintel for the door, the insription in well cut Roman capitals reads 'Anatemor, son of Lovernius' and once marked his burial place. The body of the church dates from the 13th century with a major refurbishment in the 18th century, the pulpit, bell, furnishing, lych gate and north porch all date from this time.
The church is open, inside is like stepping back in time to the 18th century. If you enter the church look at the shelf and lintel of the eastern wall of the porch. Here you will find two incised grave slabs dating from c.12th century. Both stones are carved with crosses, but the lower slab also carries the image of a single masted ship of a kind fimiliar to the waters of Caernarfon Bay.
While exploring the churchyard can you find the pirates grave?
To find the coordinantes for the geocache you need to visit the Lych Gate and find the final resting place of a famous person.
For the North coordinates go inside the Lych Gate. What year was F.B. Heald from Nottingham here? Your answer gives you a,b,c,d.
N53 0c.(a+d) b (dx3)
For the West coordinates find the final resting place of a famous person near the wall closest to the sea. What year was he born? Your answer gives you e,f,g,h.
W004 1(f-e).(f-g) f h
The cache can be found a short walk away.
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Mae Llanfaglan wedi bod yn safle cysegredig am fwy na phymtheg can mlynedd. Mae yna fynwent fawr a presenoldeb carreg piler sy'n dyddio o'r 5ed neu ddechrau'r 6ed ganrif, cysegriad yr eglwys i Sant Baglan ac agosrwydd Ffynnon Sanctaidd, oll yn tystio i'w gwreiddiau cyn-Gristnogol cynnar posibl. Ffynnon pin oedd Ffynnon Faglan (Ffynnon Sanctaidd St Baglan), sef ffynnon lle taflwyd pinnau wedi'u plygu i'r dŵr yn y gobaith o iachâd gwyrthiol, yn anffodus nid yw'n bodoli mwyach. Ym 1855 dadorchuddiwyd y piler carreg yn cael ei ailddefnyddio fel lintel ar gyfer y drws, mae'r gwrthryfel mewn priflythrennau Rhufeinig wedi'u naddu ac yn darllen 'Anatemor, mab Lovernius' ar un adeg roedd yn nodi ei le claddu. Mae corff yr eglwys yn dyddio o'r 13eg ganrif gydag adnewyddiad mawr yn y 18fed ganrif, mae'r pulpud, y gloch, y dodrefn, y giât lych a chyntedd y gogledd i gyd yn dyddio o'r amser hwn.
Mae'r eglwys ar agor, mae fel camu yn ôl mewn amser i'r 18fed ganrif. Os penderfynnwch i fynd mewn i'r eglwys edrychwch ar silff a lintel wal ddwyreiniol y porth. Yma fe welwch ddwy slab bedd endoredig sy'n dyddio o'r tua 12fed ganrif. Mae'r ddwy garreg wedi'u cerfio â chroesau, ond mae'r slab isaf hefyd yn cario delwedd un llong wedi'i masgio o ddyn sy'n debyg i ddyfroedd Bae Caernarfon.
Wrth archwilio'r fynwent allwch chi ddod o hyd i fedd y môr-leidr?
I ddod o hyd i lleoliad y geocache mae angen i chi ymweld â Phorth Lych a dod o hyd i orffwysfa olaf rhywun enwog.
Am ateb y Gogledd, ewch tu mewn Porth Lych. Pa flwyddyn roedd F.B. Heald o Nottingham yma? Eich ateb fydd a,b,c,d.
N53 0c.(a+d) b (dx3)
Am ateb y gorllewin, darganfuwch lleoliad olaf y person enwog fydd ger y wal agosaf i'r mor. Pa flwyddyn gafodd ef ei eni? Eich ateb fydd e, f, g, h.
W004 1(f-e).(f-g) f h
Mae'r cache wedi'u guddio taith fer ar droed.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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9 Usual Suspects