UNIQUE chapels and churches across Dwyfor and Meirionnydd are in the running to become Wales’ favourite religious building.

Places of Worship in Aberdaron, Llandanwg and Nanhoron are three of 50 churches and chapels on the shortlist created by ‘Cymru Sanctaidd’ (Sacred Wales) to find out the nation’s most idyllic place of worship.

The winning church or chapel will receive a special trophy marking their achievement as well as £500.

St Hywyn in Aberdaron is a grade 1 listed Anglican chapel with its roots dating back to over a millennium ago.

The earliest wooden church was founded on this site in the fifth century, on a cliff overlooking the sea.

The current stone church is thought to have been built in the twelfth century by a king of Gywnedd.

Capel Newydd in Nanhoron is thought to be the oldest surviving Non-Conformist chapel in North Wales.

The stone building was built in 1770. In the style of a barn, it may have originally been a barn or have been deliberately built to resemble one, a simple space to worship.

The floor is still earthen, with box pews between low whitewashed walls built of rubble stone and a pine roof covered in slate.

Finally St Tanwg, Llandanwg is a medieval church built of rubble between sand dunes on the beach, twenty metres from the high water mark - known as ‘the church in the sand’.

It has some of the oldest Christian foundations in Britain, and is perhaps the oldest with a continuous Christian history.

Below the east window is the grave of renowned Welsh poet Sion Phillips, a contemporary of Shakespeare, who drowned on the crossing between Pwlheli and Llandanwg in 1620.

A spokesman for St Tanwg, Llandanwg was delighted to be on the shortlist: “It is exciting to be included in this competition.

“This ancient church attracts over a thousand visitors a year but is a living church holding weekly services in the summer, monthly in winter as well as an increasing number of weddings and baptisms.”

To view all of the choices, and to pick your favourite, please visit http://www.sacredwales.org.uk/