The Church of St Anno stands beside the River Ithon on the edge of the village of Llananno. Of medieval origin, it was entirely rebuilt in 1876–1877 by David Walker, a Liverpool-based architect.[2] Walker incorporated elements from the medieval church, including the 15th-century rood screen.[3]Cadw considers the screen as "the most richly decorated and one of the most complete in Wales".[4] Scourfield and Haslam, in their Powys volume of the Buildings of Wales describe the "glorious [screen as] among the best examples of screen-work in Wales”, and the best of the work of the Newton school of Welsh screen-carvers, and draw comparisons with similar screens at Newton itself, at Llanegryn, Gwynedd, and at Daresbury, Cheshire.[1] The screen was restored during the Walker restoration, and again in the 1960s.[4] It comprises ten arches, with a centrally-placed archway, which support a large gallery with two bressummers (beams) above and below a central parapet carved with 25 figures of "Christ, Patriarchs, Kings and Prophets". The figures are 19th-century replacements.[1] The bressummers themselves are carved with images of "fruit and foliage, the stems emerging from the mouths of serpents".[5]
The church itself is small and simple, constructed of grey limestone with a porch and modest bell cote.[3] St Anno's is a Grade II* listed building, its Cadw record noting that the high grading is due to "its exceptional rood screen, an architectural survival of national importance".[4]
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