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Home » Religion and Belief » The Church » Biers

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  • A double horse bier on the wall of Llangelynnin Church, Merionethshire. It dates from the eighteenth century and was used to carry the bodies of parishoners to the churchyard along bridle paths and tracks. The arms and handles at each end were harnessed to a horse.
Horse bier in Llangelynnin Church, Merionethshire
  • This double horse bier dates from the eighteenth century and was used to carry the bodies of parishoners to the churchyard along bridle paths and tracks.
Ancient two-horse bier and Llangelynnin Church, Merionethshire
  • Here is the old bier from Llanelidan parish church. This bier was used to carry the coffin of John Jones, or Coch Bach Y Bala, as he was known, to the grave. Coch Bach y Bala was a poacher and had been caught stealing several times. It is said that he had spent time in every prison in North Wales. He was famous for escaping from prison and his nickname was 'the Welsh Houdini' because of this. On 30 September 1913, whilst in Ruthin prison, Coch Bach y Bala escaped but after five days on the run he was shot. He died of his injuries and was buried in the cemetery at Llanelidan on 9 October 1913.
Old bier from Llanelidan parish church
  • A funeral bier used to carry the coffin during a funeral service and to the site of burial.
Funeral bier, from a Welsh chapel, 1800s