History

A medieval church on a hilltop site, in existence by the C13, the date of the font. When Richard Fenton visited in 1804 he noted the double bellcote and arch to a former N transept. The church was restored in 1833-4 by Thomas Jones, and substantially restored again in 1878 by R J Withers, architect of London. The present fenestration, roofs and fittings belong to 1878.

Exterior

A simple Gothic style church comprising nave with lower and narrower chancel and gabled W porch, of rubble stone with freestone dressings and slate roofs behind coped gables. The porch has a pointed doorway with wave moulding. The W end of the nave has a simple double bellcote with saddleback roof. The nave is battered at the base. Its S wall has 2 pairs of cusped lights, and a similar pair is in the chancel S wall. The E window is 3 stepped cusped lights. On the N side of the chancel is a vestry under an outshut roof. It has a square-headed 2-light N window, and a pointed W doorway with continuous chamfer and boarded door with strap hinges. On the E side of the vestry are foundations of a former boiler house. The nave N wall has 2 pairs of cusped lights similar to the S but not aligned with them, and towards the E side is a wide blocked 2-centred arch, probably for a transept or chapel.

Interior

The porch has a plastered tunnel vault and stone benches. The W doorway has a continuous chamfer and double boarded doors with studs and strap hinges. The nave has a 4-bay arched-brace roof. Inside the W door is a round-headed medieval stoup, roughly hewn. A low arched recess in the N wall is the blocked opening visible outside. The chancel arch is medieval, a plain plastered pointed arch with single chamfer. In the S respond is a doorway and stone steps to a former rood loft. The 2-bay chancel roof is similar to the nave. Chancel windows have segmental rere arches with roll mouldings, and the E window has a blind quatrefoil frieze at sill level forming a reredos. The N vestry doorway has a roll moulding and boarded door with strap hinges. A cusped aumbry is in the N wall, and 2-centred sedilia in the S wall.

The font is early C13, a roughly hewn round bowl with carved heads to the cardinal directions. It stands on a round C20 stem and base. Other internal fittings are mainly of 1878, and include plain pews and polygonal pulpit with pierced quatrefoils. Flanking the E window are painted metal sheets with the Ten Commandments in Welsh, with the Apostle''''''''s Creed and Lord''''''''s Prayer in similar style flanking the chancel arch. The chancel N wall has a simple slate memorial tablet by D Mainwaring of Carmarthen, commemorating Lady Sarah Champion de Crespigny (d 1825). The arched recess in the N wall of the nave has a brass tablet commemorating restoration of the church in 1878. Only the E window has stained glass, the Crucifixion, of 1922.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a small rural parish church retaining good medieval and C19 detail.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29493368

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990