Eglwys Newydd Church, Pontarfynach, Ceredigion

History

Anglican parish church of Llanfihangel y Creuddyn Uchaf, known as Eglwys Newydd and dedicated to St. Michael. Erected in 1803 from designs by James Wyatt for Thomas Johnes of Hafod, altered c. 1840 for the 4th Duke of Newcastle, and 1887 by A. Ritchie for T. J. Waddingham. Gutted by fire 1932 and excellently reconstructed by W. D. Caroe. The outstanding marble monument by Sir F. Chantrey to Mariamne Johnes was badly damaged by the fire as was the early C16 painted glass from Holland or Belgium, of which fragments survive. Notable fittings by Caroe.
The church was a chapel of ease originally at Trisant, moved to this site by the Herbert family owners of Hafod c. 1620. A 1642 stone was reset into the new church in 1803 (not found). The 1803 church was illustrated in Meyrick's history 1811, the engraving showing a battlemented shorter tower without present top stage, with slate recessed spire, a pointed W door and two pointed openings above, which shows that the present top stage is an addition, perhaps c. 1840. Wyatt's church had parapets around the roofs similar to those on the flanking pieces of the tower, possibly removed c. 1840 or 1887. There was an altarpiece painting by Fuseli, a font in Coade stone (which survives) and the C16 stained glass, mostly destroyed.
Ritchie added an apse and vestry, new roofs, windows and altered Wyatt's tower, giving the interior a Victorian character. It is not clear whether the eaves corbels date from his time or from the 1840s, though they are probably from 1887 as they extend around added apse. There was a scheme of painted decoration of 1893 by Miss Alice Erskine. The fire left only the tower and walls. Destroyed were stained glass windows to the Chambers and Waddingham families of Hafod, and painted reredos to Mrs. Davies of Ffosrhydgaled. Caroe added the fine panelled barrel roofs, the furnishings and rebuilt the transept arches in simpler form. A supposedly medieval font was stolen from the church in 1989; it was cross-shaped and said to be similar to one at Strata Florida.

Exterior

Anglican parish church, rubble stone with slate roofs. W tower, nave and canted apse with single roof, lower transepts and flat-roofed NE vestry.
W tower is thinly detailed with later C19 ashlar pointed W door, ashlar later C19 trefoiled roundel over with stone voussoirs, then blocked 1803 pointed opening with stone voussoirs, then 1887 bell-light, infilling 1803 bell opening. Ashlar pointed infill with long square-headed louvred lights and blind foiled roundel in head. Stone voussoirs of 1803 opening. Top stage has square panels with stone voussoirs and slate sills, the W one with wooden louvred opening of 3 pointed lights. Quarter-round string course under stepped out embattled parapet. Clasping thin buttresses up to grey-stone steep-gabled caps at level of sill of square openings (originally this was top of parapet of 1803 church, and there were no gabled caps). W buttresses fully visible with moulded plinth and two shallow set offs, those at NE and SE corners are visible only at top as masked by nave roof. On N and S sides are shallow two-storey windowless projections with string course under flat parapet and diagonal buttress at NW and SW corners similar to those at tower angles, but with only one set off and top cross-gabled cap at level of second set off of clasping buttresses. Parapet matched and was on a level with the parapets of the 1803 church.
Body of church has broad main roof carried out with flat eaves on big quarter round corbels and moulded plinth. Transepts have lower ridges and eaves, similar corbels. The corbels at angles of nave and transepts are ashlar, possibly of 1887. Nave and transepts have diagonal buttresses with ashlar chamfered tops. Nave S has one 1887 2-light window each side of transept with ashlar tracery, stone voussoirs. S transept has similar ashlar large 3-light. Nave N has one similar 2-light to right of N transept which has ashlar cinquefoil rose window of 1887. Attached to E side of N transept is flat-roofed large vestry with ashlar string course and parapet coping. No plinth. Caernarfon-arch to W door and lights of 2-light E window, set to left. Two plain 2-light windows to N.
Apse has similar corbelled eaves. The two canted sides have 1887 ashlar traceried single lights with sill courses. Buttresses of squared stone with slate set-off and sloping cap each side, and broad E bay has sill course (higher than those each side) and large traceried pointed 3-light window breaking eaves under coped shouldered gable. Stone voussoirs.
Attached slate plaques on S wall to Richard Valantin of Pantydail died 1828, Mary Jones of Tyllwyd died 1829, and Ann Thomas of Pentre Briwnant died 1845.

Interior

Tower base has wooden ceiling and opening to single bell hanging at level of lower bell-lights. Ashlar 1887 segmental pointed doorway to nave with pointed double doors, wrought iron hinges on nave side. Plastered interior with 1933 single fine panelled barrel roof. Four tie-beam trusses with octagonal king-posts carrying arched braces on 4 sides, the tie-beams on arched braces from stone corbels. Brattishing to tie-beams and wall-plates. Roof has 12 panels to each bay, end bay is curved over canted apse.
Short transepts have moulded ashlar pointed arches and panelled roofs, no chancel arch. One step to chancel with ashlar paving. Moulded segmental arch to N organ chamber infilled with boarding, and moulded cambered-arched doorway to vestry with 1933 oak door with studs and wrought iron hinges. One step to sanctuary. Canted apse has moulded panelled ceiling as on main body of church but with carved rosettes and 4 leaves at each intersection. Gable over E window with similar detail.
Fittings: Font of 1792 in Coade stone, C15 style with octagonal bowl with square panels to sides, each with a rosette in a quatrefoil. Moulding beneath with 8 finely cast winged cherub heads. Shaft has thin angle buttresses framing tiny niches with damaged tiny classical figures, each identified in incised letters Temperance, Faith, Prudence etc. In tower C19 slate panels with 10 Commandments, Creed and Lord's Prayer. The rest of the fittings are by Caroe in pale oak, of high quality with delicate late Gothic to C17 style carved detail. Nave pews with square brattished bench ends. N transept war memorial screen of 9 bays with delicate pierced tracery over leaded lights and carved inscription panels. Lectern with double book-rest top on fluted square pillar. Kneeler in front of chancel. Pulpit octagonal with carved blind tracery on long panels and rosettes down moulded angles. Base tapers inward. Stalls in two rows each side with front kneeler. Carved bench ends with opposed scrolls and finials, finely-carved panels with shields and emblems of the Passion etc.. Frontal has panels divided by piers with delicately carved interlace and rosettes. First stall has open upper panels with stepped heads and W end kneeler with pilasters as on frontal. Rear stall has panelled back and W end separate seat. Altar rails with fluted pilasters on outswept ends and centre fluted square pier, scrolls supporting rail. Apse panelling each side of altar, outer sections three-panel with centre arched panel, inner sections 5-panel with centre arched panel. Cresting of winged hour-glasses. Altar table with arched opening each side of rectangular main opening with scrolls in angles. Behind is curtain between two tall posts with capital and scrolled top carrying curtain-beam with delicate triglyphs in cornice and cresting of winged hour-glasses and centre carved pierced IHS motif.
Memorials: In N transept the fire-damaged remnant of Sir Francis Chantrey's outstanding monument of 1812-15 to Mariamne Johnes. In N transept also a burnt and reassembled antique urn and a marble roundel, undamaged, with two cherubs in relief.
Stained glass: E window, Noli me tangere, c. 1934 by Heaton, Butler & Bayne. In apse window each side fragments of glass said to have come from Holland or Belgium, formerly in E window, destroyed in 1932 fire.

Reasons for Listing

Included at II* for the historical associations with the Hafod estate, and for the architectural quality of the 1930s remodelling.

External Links

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