St Baglan's Church
St Baglan's Church was a single-cell church, probably dating from the late-medieval period. The western half is believed to date from the 12th century and the eastern half to the 14th century. In 1690 it still possessed both the brass head of its patron’s crozier and a late medieval lection (life) for his feast day. It was the principal church of the Cantref and later Lordship of Afan whose castle of Plas Baglan was 200 metres to the east, across the steep valley on the crest of which the church is sited. There is thus strong circumstantial evidence that it was a small pre-Norman minster.
The church was gutted by fire in 1954
Eglwys un gell oedd Eglwys Baglan Sant sy’n dyddio yn ôl pob tebyg o'r cyfnod canol oesol hwyr. Credir bod yr hanner gorllewinol yn dyddio o'r 12fed ganrif a'r hanner dwyreiniol yn dyddio o'r 14eg ganrif. Yn 1690 ac mae'n yn dal i feddu ar ben pres bagl esgob ei noddwr a llith (oes) ganol oesol hwyr ar gyfer ei ddiwrnod gŵyl. Hon oedd prif eglwys y Cantref ac yn ddiweddarach yn brif eglwys i Arglwyddiaeth Afan, yr oedd ei chastell, Plas Baglan, 200 metr i'r dwyrain, ar draws crib y dyffryn serth lle saif yr eglwys. Felly mae tystiolaeth amgylchiadol gref mai mynachlan fach cyn-Normanaidd ydoedd.
Dinistriwyd yr eglwys gan dân ym 1954.
Old Baglan Church is designated as a Scheduled Monument: GM428, Ruins of St Baglan's Church, and as a Listed Building: Old church of St Baglan, Ref No 14146
The site has been holy ground since the time of St Baglan in the sixth century. Baglan was one of the wandering missionaries who roamed between Wales and the Celtic lands of Brittany. The legend of St Baglan and the founding of the church is recorded in a manuscript in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.
From the church's perspective it is also the spiritual root of the present community,
it’s presumed early foundation being considered of great importance. The adjacent Yew tree, which bear three different fruits is reputed to have been planted by St. Baglan himself and it and the church form part of local children’s education.
According to a writer of about 1690 Baglan Church ‘was by some of former days thought more than ordinary sacred’ and it still possessed both the brass head of its patron’s crozier and a late medieval lection (life) for his feast day. It was the principal church of the Cantref and later Lordship of Afan, whose castle of Plas Baglan was 200 metres to the east, across the steep valley on the crest of which the church is sited.
The church has produced a 9th-century cross-slab of Irish affinity with fine interlace ornament and an 11th C grave marker. There is thus strong circumstantial evidence that it was a small pre-Norman minster.
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In 1188 Gerallt Cymro / Gerald of Wales visited Baglan with the Arch Bishop of Canterbury . Their aim was to recruit 3,000 men for the 3rd crusade. Some authorities claim that Gerald left Baglan with a local guide, to help him navigate his way across the estuary of the Neath and avoiding the quick sands.
It is a simple single celled rectangular structure with Perpendicular east window, a 16th C window at the east end of the south wall and a late medieval west door.
St Baglan’s Church a small single-celled church, orientated north east-south west and has stone and mortar walls, 0.8m thick splayed at the footings, standing to the eaves. There is a housing for two bells above the west gable.
Western half is 12th century, while the eastern half 14th century. St Baglan’s Church was last used for worship in 1882 and was the oldest building in Port Talbot.
The west end of the building, with its bellcote dated back to the 12th century. Few ancient
belfries of this type remain in South Wales. The simplicity and primitive construction of the building stretches back to a period of the ancient Welsh Church before the Norman influence.
The east window is in Early English style and was added after St Baglan’s was built. There are also some primitive carvings on the south side of the window. Until the fire, the old box pews - one for each family - the pulpit and prayer desk were in good condition. The roof timbers were renewed in 1824, when the stone roof was removed and used as a retaining wall behind the church. It was once planned to remove the whole building to the Welsh Folk Museum at St Fagan’s but the project was abandoned.
