History in Structure

Church of St Michael and All Angels

A Grade II* Listed Building in Manafon, Powys

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.6128 / 52°36'46"N

Longitude: -3.3113 / 3°18'40"W

OS Eastings: 311310

OS Northings: 302476

OS Grid: SJ113024

Mapcode National: GBR 9S.8HDK

Mapcode Global: WH79T.3LGB

Plus Code: 9C4RJM7Q+4F

Entry Name: Church of St Michael and All Angels

Listing Date: 10 March 1953

Last Amended: 4 February 1997

Grade: II*

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 7587

Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

Also known as: St Michael's Church, Manafon

ID on this website: 300007587

Location: The church stands centrally in the formerly oval churchyard, at the centre of the village. The churchyard, which was extended c.1926, has a lych-gate (q.v.) and a granite war memorial in the S corner

County: Powys

Town: Manafon

Community: Manafon

Community: Manafon

Traditional County: Montgomeryshire

Tagged with: Church building English Gothic architecture

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History

Built in the C15, the vestry added and the church restored in 1859, and again extensively restored and refitted in 1898 by John Douglas of Chester with money provided by the Perrins-Williams family. The Revd Walter Davies 'Gwallter Mechain', the author and supporter of eisteddfodau, was rector here 1807-1837. Revd William 'Penfro' Morgan, the distinguished poet, held the incumbency in 1904-1918, and is buried E of the chancel, his headstone in the form of a Celtic cross, and the Revd R.S.Thomas, one of the greatest of living Welsh poets, was rector here from 1942 to 1954, a period influential in his work. A C18 sundial plate by R.B.Ryder of Welshpool, complete with its original gnomon, is set on a wooden base 10m S of the S wall.

Exterior

Uncoursed small rubble and tabular shale, the W end built on large boulder foundations, and the chancel rebuilt above 1.5m probably in the medieval period. Slate roof. The plan is a single cell, with a S porch, and vestry with store added on the N side, and a conspicuous weatherboarded belltower at the W end with a sprocketed pyramidal roof and wind vane. Plain chamfered S door within the porch. Two and 3-light C19 trefoil-headed windows of Grinshill stone, but a mid C15 3-light E window, and reset single light medieval windows in the vestry. Buttresses of Breidden dolerite and red sandstone ashlar dressings added in the C19 to the E gable end. A pencil drawing of the mid-C19 in the church shows a large 5-light dormer on the S side.

Interior

Nave and chancel in one cell, the chancel raised by 2 steps. Fine C15 roof of eight and a half bays, consisting of arch-braced collar beam trusses, the centres dropped, and raking struts to the principles which carry two tiers of purlins each with cusped windbraces. The principal rafters are set on bracketed stub ties. The ceiling above is boarded over the rafters. Walls are unplastered, with late C19 oak carved cornice and splayed timber lintels over the wide splayed window reveals. Medieval stoup by S door. The W wall has been altered or rebuilt. A 3-bay arcade with pierced spandrels, probably of mid C19, crosses the W end and supports the belfry floor.

The tower has one bell, of the early C14, believed to be the earliest of the seven remaining medieval bells in the county, set in an early timber frame.

Fittings: C17 and C18 fielded panelling, perhaps from former box pews, reused as dado panelling in the chancel and across the west end. Richly carved reredos incorporating a carved board from the earlier reredos inscribed RP, VP 1608 commemorating the Pryce family of Glyncogen. Font, a simple C19 Bath stone tub with chevron frieze. Pulpit C19, with traceried sides and figures. C17 carved panels built into the reading desk fronts. Good quality oak pews by Douglas, with carved bands.

Glass: E window, a crucifixion by O'Connor, 1859, and in the S chancel, Our Lord and the Marys, 1898. In the vestry, C15 yellow-stain angels reset in the heads of the N and S lancets.

Monuments: A slate tablet on the E wall, to Rev Canon Edward Davies, rector, d.1793 set in a painted frame. On S wall, tablets to Robert Llewelyn Evans, d.1916 and brothers Joseph and William. Marble tablet in alabaster frame on the W wall commemorates the 1898 restoration.

Reasons for Listing

Listed particularly for the surviving early fabric, including its fine medieval roof, for the quality restoration and fittings by an eminent late C19 architect in his own distinctive style, and for its association with three distinguished literary figures who held the living of Manafon.

External Links

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

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Lych gate to the churchyard, Church of St Michael and All Angels.
    Located in the S corner of the churchyard and opening directly on to the main road. Immediately to the E is the granite war memorial.
  • II The Smithy
    Located close to the road at the W end of the village, with the smithy immediately to the right, and two mid C20 hand operated Avery-Hardoll petrol pumps with illuminated globes to the left.
  • II Manafon smithy
    Located immediately E of The Smithy cottage, at the E end of Manafon village centre.
  • II The Grange, also known as The Old Rectory
    Set back from the road in a riverside position, directly off a small lane. The former coachhouse and stable lies to the E.
  • II Bron-y-rhiw Cottage
    Located above the S bank of the Afon Rhiw, at the end of the small lane leading S off the main Berriew to Llanfair Caereinion road, leading past the Old Rectory.
  • II Hen llys
    Located on rising ground about 200m N of the road, and accessed by a driveway through the former farm buildings.
  • II Dol-terfyn
    Set close to and parallel with the main Manafon to Berriew Road, immediately E of The Green.
  • II Glyn ganol
    Set gable end to the lane, at the head of the productive land in the small valley of the Afon Glyn.

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