St Cynllo was a British saint in the late 5th and early 6th centuries and several churches in Wales are dedicated to him. An old Welsh poem includes the line: “The prayer of Cynllo will not be in vain.” Cynlo may have been a local ruler before dedicating his life to God.
St Cynllo set up the first church in the village of Llanbister in the 6th C, but the present church heralds from around 1300, when the nave was constructed. The chancel and tower are more recent, from the 16th or possibly 15th C. St Cynllo’s church is situated on a very steep side, which inspired the builders to create an attractive and unusual composition with a massive east tower. And the church is very low, following the landscape and with a mixture of Gothic styles. it was as challenging as attractive to photograph.