Church of St David and St Cyfelach, Llangyfelach, Swansea

History

Anglican parish church, earlier C19 nave with later C19 chancel. The present church is in the churchyard of the medieval church but further down the slope. The plain and unecclesiological nave looks of c1820-40 but is alternately said to have been a tithe barn remodelled, which seems implausible, or to have been built c1850-60 which seems very late. Unusual earlier C19 Gothic Price family chapel at nave NE corner. The chancel is said to have been added in 1850 or 1891 by E.M. Bruce Vaughan, the latter seeming more likely. Nave restored with new windows and porch, by W.D. Caroe in 1913-14, one of the most inventive of his restorations in SW Wales. The broad stepped buttresses clasping the angles and on the N wall are said to be also added by Caroe, but appear to be of earlier date.

Exterior

Anglican parish church, rubble stone with ashlar dressings. Nave with remodelled or added S porch, NE and added chancel. Nave of thin coursed rubble stone with low-pitched eaves roof of greenish slates with paired brackets to eaves and coped shouldered gables. Angles have big and unmedieval stepped buttresses clasping corners, in squared tooled sandstone on rubble plinth. Four steps with chamfered copings. S side has centre door in porch with large Tudor-arched window each side, N side has 3 similar windows. Windows have fine moulded 3-light ogee tracery in red sandstone, presumably inserted in earlier openings. Porch has greenish slates carried down each side over tops of side piers, front has finely-moulded 4-centred arched doorway and statue niche above, in red stone, and red stone moulded eaves. Small ashlar statue of St David in niche. Ornate C20 metal gates. Arch-braced collar trusses within and finely moulded S doorway in red stone, with segmental pointed moulded head, the mouldings dying into piers. Fine panelled double doors, probably of 1914.
Nave N side of 3 bays divided by broad stepped buttresses, has windows clearly inserted into wall (perhaps originally blank), and a small square-headed red stone traceried 2-light window set low to right. W end is rendered between buttresses, above rubble stone plinth. Large C19 Perp style 4-light Bath stone W window with hoodmould over a narrow pointed door with hood, the door reached by outside stone steps with rock-faced rubble-stone parapet. Against NE corner of nave is early C19 funeral chapel with hipped slate eaves roof. N front has pointed window each side of pointed door, all with stone voussoirs and keystone. Timber Y-tracery glazing with leaded lights, plank door.
Chancel has conventional C19 Gothic detail, steeper pitched roof, coped shouldered gable, rock-faced coursed squared stone, ashlar flush quoins and windows with ogee tracery, chamfered plinth. E big 3-light window with hoodmould, single light to N, door and 2-light to S both set to left. S window has hoodmould, chamfered pointed doorway has plank door with strap hinges.
The stone voussoirs of a very broad nave E window are visible over the chancel roof.

Interior

Nave has Arts and Crafts interior character from the work of 1913-14. Broad 11-bay collar-truss roof with king-post and curved angle struts above, possibly original, with added arched braces with blind tracery spandrels and tapering wall-posts. Cambered-headed red sandstone reveals to windows. W end divided off by panelled timber screen of 9 panels each with 2-light blind tracery, outer 3 panels each side under a divided organ with gallery between the cases which are plain panelled. Under gallery, plaque recording restoration 1912-14 by WD Caroe, with Collins & Godfrey as contractors, and screen on N to vestry with Tudor-arched entry. Vestry lit by 2-light traceried window.
Moulded ashlar chancel arch with column shafts. Chancel 5-sided rafter roof. Broad 4-centred arch on N side into funeral chapel. S side segmental pointed recess
Fittings: Fine screen by Caroe 1914, in memory of Charlotte Thomas (d 1912), oak, late medieval style with 3 bays each side of centre broad opening, deep-coved top extended out to nave side walls. Side bays have ogee crocketted arches within pointed arches with elaborate tracery infill to heads, similar infill to 2 arches over broad centre opening. Panelled cove, vine-trail carved top cornice with cresting, and rood cross above. Pulpit: later C19, oak with traceried panels to 5 sides, angle column shafts, scroll with inscription in cornice, on big octagonal ashlar base with squat shaft, moulded cornice and chamfered plinth. Stone steps up. Font, later C19, ashlar octagon with 4 carved panels of Ezekiel, Isaiah, Joel and Zachariah. Octagonal stem and moulded base. Oak carved reredos presumably by Caroe, 3-panel with rich cresting over, between 2 crested taller side panels. Centre panel is carved with the Supper at Emmaus. Oak altar rails possibly late C19 or by Caroe with pierced quatrefoils in band under top rail. Chancel stalls, possibly late C19 with quatrefoils in band under top rail. Pine later C19 pews.
Early Christian stone: Nave N wall C9-10 incised stone with Celtic cross, ring cross with interlaced terminals and eroded letters to left. In Price chapel, painted wood benefaction boards, earlier C19.
Memorials: In the funeral chapel a fine set of monuments to the Price and Llewelyn-Price family. On W wall: Mary Price ( d1754) by Benjamin Palmer, marble in grey frame scrolled above. On N wall Mary and Ann Price, (dd 1782 and 1769) with twin draped urns, white marble. Fine Adamesque marble memorial to Gryfydd Price, barrister (d1787), with long encomiastic inscription, urn on pedestal above, and husk-drop motif on side piers, by King of Bath. On S wall: open-pedimented marble memorial to Jane Price (d1758). large sarcophagus-shaped slate plaque to John Llewelyn (d1817) and a pair to it to Fanny Llewelyn (d1832) and a plaque between to William Dillwyn (d1819). In church itself: Nave W end Rachel and Thomas Glasbrook (dd 1783 and 1784). N wall: fine bolection-moulded framed plaque to Lt JC Gladstone Davies ARIBA of Tanyrallt (d 1918), marble plaque of c1920s to Howell and Thomas families from 1821. S wall plaque to Mary Johns (d1899). Oval plaque with draped urn to Dr R. Jenkins of Glais (d 1866) by J. Williams of Llandeilo. Chancel N plaque in grey stone frame to Ellen Mathew (d 1771). Brass plaque to Mathew Johnes and wife (d 1631), with incised kneeling figures. Chancel S sarcophagus shaped plaque to Elizabeth Walker (d 1856) and fine plaque with urn to Elizabeth Bevan (d 1807) signed H. Wood of Bristol.
Stained glass: Nave N 2: exceptional window to JD Clive Evans (drowned 1961) of Swansea College of Art, made by the stained glass department there, under Timothy Lewis; Christ figure dissolved in complex patterns of leading and subtle colours, to suggest water. Nave N 3 Good Shepherd and 2 panels each side, of parable of the sower, 1947 by Burlison & Grylls, old fashioned, good colours. Nave S 2, Christ and 4 scenes, later C20 conventional, by A.K. Nicholson, to Richard Jenkins of Gellyfeddan and children. Chancel N window, St Dubricius, 1916, by Kempe & Co. E window c1920 also by Kempe & Co, the Crucifixion.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* mainly for the earlier C19 funeral chapel of the Price family and the quality of the early C20 work by W.D. Caroe.

External Links

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