St Cadwaladr
Bishton, Gwent
Situated on the edge of an ancient village on the Caldicot Levels and dedicated to the self styled last King of Britain.
The church is in the centre of the village conservation area adjacent to the village hall and a public house. It is at the nexus of five footpaths, half a mile from the Wales costal footpath, on cycle route No.4 and only 3 miles from Jct 23A of the M4 motorway. The surrounding area is an ancient flood plain, known as the Gwent Levels, protected by a seawall and has extensive Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs).
The church is set in a circular Saxon churchyard. The stone building is of medieval origin with later Victorian re-ordering. It has many items of interest, including, marks of the Great Flood of the area in 1606-07, two medieval bells in a ring of six, a total immersion baptistry, a Norman font and a mid-Victorian pipe organ. It has been featured in several nationally broadcast documentaries about the Great Flood. The medieval bells are a great attraction to visiting bands of ringers from all over the world.