Points of interest
ST Michael’s and All Angels Church, Llanfihangel-uwch-gwili is situated within a rectilinear churchyard, bounded by a road on its north side. The church was a chapel of ease to Abergwili parish during the medieval period, belonging to the Deanery of Carmarthen. It was appropriated to St David’s Cathedral. In 1998 the church was still a chapelry to Abergwili, belonging to the Rural Deanery of Carmarthen. The church currently belongs to the Deanery of Llangadog/llandeilo.
The church is a Grade II listed building, considered a good example of a small rural church retaining Edwardian character. It is constructed predominantly of limestone rubble with yellow oolite dressings. The external walls are covered in the extensive remains of 19th Century render, which has broken away in places, to expose earlier render.
The church consists of twobayed chancel, three-bayed nave, two-storied west tower, transeptal north vestry. The nave and chancel are thought to date to the 13th-14th Century. There is a blocked south door in the nave. There is another blocked door in the south chancel wall, and also a blocked small medieval cusped window. The tower may possibly be medieval, but is not typical of the region, lacking the usual west door and square spiral stair turret. The tower is entered through a two-centred early 20th Century door in its south wall. It communicates with the nave via a plain, two-centred arch. A twolight window in its west wall dates to the early 17th Century. The belfry stage (partially rebuilt in the early 20th Century) has a slit light in each face. These may be post medieval in date. The tower’s pyramidal roof has a finial. The painted octagonal font is 19th century in date.
The church was restored in the early 20th Century, at which time it was re-roofed, re-floored, re-fenestrated and internally plastered. The chancel arch was replaced, and the vestry was added (Source: Coflein)
The River Cothi is 14km long and is the largest tributary of the River Towy and it is noted for its trout and sea trout (sewin) fishing and for its beautiful scenery. The upper reaches of the river form a steep gorge from which a Roman aqueduct ran to the gold mines at Dolaucothi. The remains of this leat and others used at the mines to extract the gold are still visible at many spots along the Cothi and tributaries.