History

A motte immediately to the N may have influenced the siting of the church, which is first mentioned in 1173. The present building is mainly late medieval, although some of the fenestration may be as late as the C17. The church was restored 1882-3 by John Prichard, diocesan architect.

Exterior

A small Tudor-Gothic church comprising nave with S porch, lower and narrower chancel and W tower. Of rubble stone with bigger quoins and Sutton stone dressings and concrete tile roof behind coped gables. The walls are battered at the base. The nave has, to the L of the porch, a small blocked window and a 2-light window with hood. To the R of the porch is a similar 2-light window and a smaller 2-light window further R placed higher to light the rood. The porch is L of centre and has a 2-centred arch with continuous moulding. The chancel S wall has a 2-light window with sunk spandrels and hood mould, to the R of which is a segmental-pointed doorway with a continuous moulding. The E window is of 3 stepped lights, with the same sunk spandrels as the S window and with a hood mould with sunk label stops. Both chancel windows are possibly C17. The nave has a shallow outshut projection at the E end of the N wall, housing the former rood stair. In the N wall of the nave is a single C19 2-light window and a projecting brick boiler room at the W end. The tower has mouldings similar to the chancel and its details may therefore also date to the C17. It is of 3 stages, with single-light segmental headed windows to the lower stages in the S wall only. Both windows have sunk spandrels. At the bell stage each face has 2-light windows with sunk spandrels and hood moulds, of which the S and E faces have sunk label stops. Tall battlements project on a moulded corbel table and have moulded copings.

Interior

The nave has a C19 roof of closely-spaced scissor-brace trusses, with boarding behind. The nave W wall has 2 high-level corbels, possibly from an earlier roof. A simple pointed and plastered tower arch is matched by a narrow and crudely worked pointed chancel arch. In the N wall is a round-headed doorway to the rood loft. The chancel has a C19 roof of closely-spaced arched-brace trusses. The stepped chancel floor has decorative tiles around the altar. On the N side of the chancel is a chamfered recess. On the S side is a recess with a cusped ogee head adjacent to a pillar piscina. This has a moulded top but a C19 dressed shaft and base. In the nave S wall is a stoup re-set in a cusped arched recess.

The font is the earliest surviving feature and is probably C13. It has a round bowl with a frieze of linked trefoils in low relief, a modern stem and the original round base. The modest wooden pulpit is polygonal with open arcading. The choir stalls have C19 moulded ends. The late C19 communion rail has iron scroll brackets and wooden hand-rail. In the E window is an unsigned crucifixion of the late C19. In the nave N window are stained glass figures of SS Catherine and John the Baptist.

There are several wall tablets. Above the chancel arch is late C19 debased classical tablet to David Griffiths (died 1892), while to the R of the chancel arch is a simple tablet with elliptical inscription panel commemorating David Davies (died 1811) and members of his family. The nave S wall has a coloured tablet to Morgan Morgan (died 1841) and his wife. Simpler late C19 and early C20 tablets are on the N wall.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for architectural interest as a small late medieval parish church, restored by John Prichard.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29491294

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living