Flemingston Overview
Flemingston – Llanmihangel y Twyn/Treffelemin is a small village 8.5 miles away from Barry next to St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan. The village is home to the church of St Michael the Archangel and the the ruins of Flemingston Court. It has the imprint of a Neolithic causeway enclosure to the north of the modern village centre and evidence of a deserted medieval settlement to its southeast.
The poet, Iolo Morganwg (Edward Williams; 1747–1826) lived in Flemingston. It is said he learned to read by watching his father carve words on tombstones.
Flemingston Court
On one side of the churchyard of St Michael the Archangel are the ruins of a building and a garden wall associated with Flemingston Court. It neighbours Flemingston Court farmhouse from the road. It was built in the 16th century and has a detached kitchen building of the same date on its grounds. The barn and farm buildings date later to the 19th century. The farm is in private ownership, but you can view the building ruins and garden wall in the churchyard.
St Michael the Archangel
St Michael the Archangel is first mentioned in 1254, very little of the medieval material survives except some stonework dotted around the structure. This is mostly of late 13th-early 14th century in date and probably indicates a rebuilding sponsored by the de Flemings. The medieval remains, later additions to the church building and restoration work in 1858 mean that the history of the building is quite complex.
There is a medieval font but all the internal fittings are either Victorian or later. Funerary monuments include two medieval effigies and a number of post-medieval wall tablets, including one to Iolo Morgannwg.
The churchyard is quadrangular, shown on the tithe map of 1840 as having a curved northwest corner. The churchyard cross does not survive, although there is stone in the churchyard which may be the cross socket.
The Vale Millennium Trail runs through the village. For articles relating to areas near Flemingston see St Athan and Aberthaw.
Fantastic blog about Flemingston. I’ve visited their a few times in the last few weeks while exploring the river Thaw. Did you find the plaque marking Iolo’s old home? A old local tried to navigate me to it but I couldn’t find it.
Hi Stuart, Thank you so much for your kind words. I don’t know of any building’s with a blue plaque to lolo in Flemingston but there is one in Llancarfan to mark the house where he was born – you may well have seen it? If not I would be more than happy to share where it is and what it looks like with you. If you do find one in Fleminngston I would love to know where it is, if you don’t mind sharing. Thank you again for reading and commenting – it’s really lovely that you took the time and it is appreciated.