Church of Saint Mary, Herbrandston, Pembrokeshire

History

Anglican parish church, medieval, the tower lowered possibly in the C18 or earlier. Short C15 W tower, nave with N and S porches, chancel with side recesses, an unusual feature found elsewhere in the county (cf Johnston). The C15 tracery of the E window appears to be original. Restored 1902-4 by C. Ford Whitcombe of Worcester who reroofed the church, added or replaced wooden windows in grey stone and refitted the interior. Reredos of 1927 by J. Coates Carter, similar to one at Pembroke Dock church.
An estate map of 1740 shows a low battlemented tower roughly to present height and shows the nave E bellcote. The bell-frame in the tower bears a 1770 date. Lobed circular bowl outside S porch used as flower-pot may be medieval.

Exterior

Anglican parish church, red sandstone rubble with slate roofs, thick greyish slates on nave and chancel, N Wales slates on tower. Short W tower, nave with N and S porches and E bellcote, chancel with lean-to recesses. Broad W tower with splayed plinth and chamfered top moulding, long W flat headed traceried 2-light replaced 1904 but with older relieving arch. Tower is otherwise plain and capped with earlier C19 close-eaved half-hipped slate roof. Small black brick vents W and E. Projecting NE stair tower with two loops, the slates carried down over. Nave has rough stone E bellcote, two piers, slab lintel and shallow gable, early C20 overhanging eaves and grey stone flat-headed recessed 2-light windows with cusped heads to lights, two on each side, flanking central gabled medieval porches. Porches have pointed arch with heavy stone voussoirs, N porch is larger with walling of squared red sandstone blocks, large grey blocks to door surround and coped gable. N doorway infilled with early C20 cusped lancet. S porch has panelled C19 door. On N side the right window is in a small slate-roofed square projection. On S side second window has old stone relieving arch over and walling to right of porch is splayed out at base. Lower chancel has projecting bays each side with roof carried down over, each with restored C15 cusped lancet in yellow limestone, similar grey stone lancet in second bay each side. E end has C15 yellow limestone 3-light Perpendicular style pointed window with hoodmould. Panel tracery. Coped E gable.

Interior

Within S porch is original S door, pointed chamfered with alternate red and grey blocks to surround. Stone memorial plaque on W side wall. Tower has plastered pointed medieval vault with shallow large pointed recess on N and S walls. Nave has 1904 arch-braced collar-rafter roof and painted plastered walls. Quarry tiles to floor. Arched panelled 1904 door to tower stair on W end to right of tower arch. Broad cambered-headed recess to first N window. Cambered arched head to former N porch, now vestry, with arched 1904 door. Porch has medieval plastered pointed vault. Tomb recess to right with broad segmental-pointed head and C14 funeral slab (see below). Cambered headed reveals to second N window and both S windows and S door. Two small carved medieval corbels one over each porch, a mitred head S and crowned female head N. Plastered pointed narrow chancel arch. Two white marble steps to chancel which has white tiles to floor with diagonally-set black squares in corners. Arch-braced collar-rafter roof. Walls have been stripped of plaster, cambered broad arches to recesses each side with stone voussoirs. White marble step to sanctuary. Stone-lined small recess on sanctuary N wall, blocked door on S wall and small piscina.
Fittings: Font similar to that in Rudbaxton, tapered square bowl (replaced in early C20) on medieval scalloped base. Medieval circular shaft with roll-mould on square base. Fittings of 1904 include dado panelling, pews with moulded edges to bench ends, ornate carved pulpit with canted front and three curved-headed carved panels, centre St Mary, sides of vine and blackberry. Gothic leaf-pattern in relief band below, and on much smaller scale to top cornice. Altar rails with arcade on turned balusters look later but may be of 1904. Panelling on E wall probably of 1927. Reredos in unpainted carved oak, 1927 by J. Coates Carter, with centre Virgin and Child in ogee crocketted niche and rectangular carved panel each side with segmental cusped arch over and carved spandrels, pierced carved delicate cresting. Folding wings have a similar panel and cresting, and carved half-gabled outer pieces to fold over centre niche. The four carvings are of Annunciation, Magnificat, Baptism and Resurrection. Large rood cross over chancel arch in painted carved wood by Francis Stephens, 1952.
Stained glass: two chancel side windows of 1957 by Powell of Whitefriars (Virgin and Child N, St John S. ), two of 1992 by Geoffrey Robinson of Bristol (Christ blessing on N, Annunciation S). E window has C19 patterned quarries.
Memorials: in tomb recess a C14 incised tomb slab with incised foliate cross and eroded low-relief head above possibly on a cushion. Chancel W marble plaque with panelled piers to Mary Holcombe (d 1745) and scroll plaque to Rev. W. Roch (d 1858). Chancel N brass plaque to Rev W. Stradling (d 1901).

Reasons for Listing

Included as a medieval parish church, carefully restored in 1904.

External Links

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