Church of Saint John, Ystrad Meurig, Ceredigion

History

Anglican parish church rebuilt in 1898-9 to designs by H. Harold Hughes of Bangor as a memorial to Edward Richard (1714-77), founder of the famous grammar school at Ystrad Meurig, and as school chapel. The rebuilding was promoted by the vicar and headmaster the Rev John Jones. The original design included a W tower omitted for lack of funds, the whole was to cost £2,500. As built it cost £1,515. The previous church had been ruinous for 50 years and was taken down. The roof and internal fittings of the new church were said to have been stained green when new. Hughes was partner of Arthur Baker (died 1896) in a firm noted for careful restoration of churches in NW Wales, and author with H. L. North of 'The Old Churches of Snowdonia' 1924.
Graveyard has numerous good slate topped table-tombs.

Exterior

Anglican parish church, rock-faced coursed grey local stone with dressings in red Hollington sandstone with slate roof and coped gables. Four-window nave and narrower 2-window chancel under single roof, plain W porch (intended as temporary), hipped NE vestry and organ chamber, and W bellcote paired with a chimney. Late Gothic style windows with walls battered at base, fine cusped ogee tracery, nave S with alternate single lights and 2-light windows, two of each, nave N 3 single lights and one 2-light in 3rd bay. Chancel slightly inset with higher eaves has 2 segmental pointed 2-light windows to S set higher than nave windows, a big segmental pointed E window in moulded surround with hoodmould. Five ogee-headed lights, the middle three with transoms. Plaque below 'Honori Edward Richard Schol: Sanct: Johan: Fundatori' N side has single light, segmental-pointed and hipped vestry with swept eaves. Vestry has N door in sandstone frame with depressed-arched head and two rectangular N windows. In angle to nave on W side is splayed wall for pulpit steps with small rectangular light.
Coped gables E and W with red stone coping, scroll-ended on shaped kneelers. E end cross finial. W end is windowless but with blocked small apex rectangular opening with red stone lintel and sill, and small single bellcote with round-arched opening and gabled coping running N-S, abutting a big square chimney on left, taller than bellcote with ashlar concave-chamfered cap. W porch is plain with slate roof and red brick doorway with elliptical arched head. Within, W door has red stone segmental-arched surround, and foundation stone 14/6/1898.

Interior

Plastered walls with red sandstone to reveals and chancel arch. Broad nave roof with arched braces to cambered collar with short king post above, the openings each side shaped. Red sandstone segmental-arched reveals to windows. Segmental arched W door with double doors. Very broad moulded pointed chancel arch with roll-moulding. Plaque each side, in Welsh and English, to Edward Richard. Single step with dwarf red sandstone wall each side. Each side of N jamb of chancel arch is an arched opening, that to left (paired with nave right window) giving access to pulpit, that to right, at left end of chancel N wall, with lower depressed-arched head giving access to vestry and steps behind chancel arch round to pulpit. Another arch over pulpit steps N of chancel arch. Chancel N wall then has large segmental-pointed opening (intended for organ) with red stone quoins and moulded arch dying into chamfered jambs. S side has wooden shelf in segmental-pointed recess and seat under left window. Chancel has 4-sided panelled boarded roof with moulded wallplate. Steps beyond stalls, at communion rail and at altar. Red tile chancel floors laid parquet-fashion. Vestry has high boarded ceiling.
Fittings: Octagonal pink stone font with big roll-mouldings top and bottom, on octagonal shaft with similar moulding to octagonal base. Painted grained pews with backs in long panels. Large timber pulpit with 4 canted sides and plain panels on massive red sandstone base formed as front of a very squat drum column. Painted grained chancel stalls with panelled fronts, matching reading desk. Wrought iron communion rails dated 1986.
Stained glass: E window of 1963 by J. Wippell of Exeter, of Christ figure, flanked by two scenes and outer symbols of lilies and lambs above 5 lower scenes, the outer left one of the Rev. John Jones teaching, all on clear background. One chancel S window of c. 1920, SS John the Baptist and Martin, with reused small C17 Flemish plaques beneath.
Memorials: Nave N brass plaque to Noel Osborne Jones, killed 1916; Chancel S brass plaque to Rev John Jones (1842-1915); in vestry flaking C18 plaque recording Edward Richard's foundation of the library at the school, and granite tombstone to the Rev John Jones.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a well-designed late Gothic church with good interior, and for historical interest as memorial to Edward Richard.

External Links

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