Church of St Ffraid, Llansanffraid-ym-Mechain, Powys

History

The church is mentioned in 1254 as 'capella de Llansanfrat', and is dedicated to St Ffraid (Bride or Bridget), an Irish saint. The origins of the present building are probably of the C12, as it has a small window apparently of that period in the north wall of the nave near the west end. This, however, is not necessarily in situ, although it does appear to be integral to the masonry immediately surrounding it. A straight joint with quoins in the south wall of the nave and a corresponding offset which formerly existed in the north wall indicate rather that the eastern part of the church predates the western. It appears to have been originally a typical small church consisting of nave and chancel without exterior distinction. Half of a mediaeval piscina survives in the chancel of this original part, an unusual double-bowl type; also a blocked door, the arch of which is only slightly pointed, at the south west of the original nave. It appears then to have been lengthened by the C16. The present main south door in the lengthened part of the church is also within a slightly pointed arch, but its form is lopsided and it has evidently been the subject of unskilled restoration at some early date; in its distorted form it houses a fine sub-mediaeval oak door.

From the C17 and following its lengthening the church was under frequent restoration and improvement. The evidence of piecemeal restoration over a long period suggested by the much-patched appearance of the masonry is supported by the dating of a number of the south windows. Two are of Jacobean style, dated 1619; a gallery dormer is dated 1669; other windows are dated 1703 and 1706. The porch has massive timbers but also timbers resembling splat balusters perhaps of the C17. There were formerly bells dated 1618 and 1619, and at the latter date shingles were purchased for the spire. The front of the prayer desks carry the dates 1624 and 1630 and the sanctuary dado the dates 1706 and 1710 (all of this timber from former box pews?). The unusual Georgian north transept, which included a gallery, was constructed in 1727 (at which date the rood screen and loft were removed) and the Communion rails are also C18. The construction of the north transept may have provided the occasion to reset the Norman window in the north of the nave with some of its related early masonry. A National School was built at the north side of the nave in 1824. There was also some restoration work in 1830 and 1866. Glynne visited in 1858 and commented on the ugly north transept and the bad windows.

A brass in the chancel states "This church was restored and enlarged in 1893 at a cost of about £3000. T H Lloyd vicar, J Oldrid Scott FSA architect". The enlargement consisted of the addition of a north arcade opening to a north aisle attached to the nave and a vestry attached to the chancel. At this time the north transept must have lost its gallery and outside stairs. The schoolroom formerly attached to the north side of the nave further west was probably also demolished by Scott. Scott designed the fan-traceried chancel screen, the panelled chancel celure and the pews and choirstalls. The nave was extended to occupy the full length of the church westwards, the west end having been formerly a separate anteroom. At this time the former east window was restored and relocated as the west window of the nave. The spire was re-shingled but not changed in form.

Exterior

The church consists of a nave with south porch, north transept and shorter north aisle, and carries a spire close to the west end. There is one diagonal buttress at the north-west corner. The north aisle, including the part to the east of the transept acting as a vestry, is span-roofed, C19. There is also a small lean-to C19 boiler room against the north side of the nave.

The masonry is a mixture of various types, shale, sandstone, limestone; at the east end and in parts of the south side the masonry, though very rubbly in character, shows efforts to bring it to courses. There is uncoursed grey sandstone with some mix of other materials in then west wall (restored) and uncoursed masonry of C19 character in the north aisle, boiler room and vestry. Much of the early masonry has evidently been quarried for later walling, hence the extreme complication. The north transept has sandstone quoins and is rendered.

The roof is in slate, with a slight change of level where the early nave was extended west. It has a tile ridge in which the extent of the present chancel is identified by more decorative cresting and a wrought iron cross. Coped gables to east and north. The spire is octagonal, with belfry slots, on a square base, with a clock to south. Decorative rainwater goods.

The windows are generally C19, apart from an important sub-mediaeval set in the south wall. The east window is late C19 with three lights, the middle light wider, and has Decorated style tracery and a thin label mould. To the south of the chancel the easternmost window is a trefoil-headed ogee-pointed lancet. Beside this is a four-light window with light-heads of somewhat horseshoe form (in a style similar to and presumably contemporary with the nave window dated 1619) and a simple label mould. The remaining south windows from this point west belong to the nave rather than the chancel: first a two light window with mullion and curved transoms; another similar, but dated 1703 to left of the blocked doorway; and a single light trefoil headed window at the pulpit position. Close to the porch is the window dated 1619, with three lights; this is signed by John Edwards, who boasts 'luce meo sumptu fruitur domus illa'. The gallery dormer is of four restored leaded lights, timber framed. There are two doorways, that to the east blocked; it is slightly pointed and with splayed sides. The present south door is poorly reconstructed, perhaps round-headed; it is within a massive two-bay sub-mediaeval timber framed porch, restored in the C19.

The west window is much restored: three lights, late Geometric tracery, relieving arch and label mould. Above it is a C19 wheel window. At north of the nave the westernmost window is a small Norman light. The north aisle has two- and three-light C19 windows with reticular tracery and small label moulds; the vestry beside the nave has a pointed lancet and a window of two ogee-pointed lights.

The character of the north transept is quite distinct. This is early Georgian, with rendered walls, coped gable and prominent sandstone quoins. A string course has been lost. Window above door to north: the window has capped pilasters, a moulded archivolt with keystone, and a sill on flat brackets. The door has a voussoir lintel also with a keystone, and prominent quoins worked in the recently restored render. The door is of oak, nail-studded. A porch has been lost.

Interior

The church is entered at the south by a timber-framed open-fronted porch paved with former headstones. Two memento-mori stones displayed against the side walls. Anciently reconstructed doorway containing a fine oak door with three panels, hinges below the cover battens, heavy internal framing and a wooden bolt.

The west part of the nave around the font is clear of pews; the font is of bowl type on a restored pillar. The main part including the north aisle is filled with pews in two main banks. Panelled dado to the north and south sides. C19 arcade at left with octagonal columns; also two bays of arcading in the sides of the transept. Black and red quarry-tile paving. The roof is in five facets, with timber ribs and plaster panels. At the west the gallery is boxed in as a ringing chamber. At east is a good C19 rood screen, an organ (Foster and Andrews 1883) at left and a Jacobean pulpit at right.

One step up to chancel. This is paved in black and white stone quarries. Jacobean style choirstalls and prayer desks, the latter with a dated panels at front, 1624 and 1630. Other Jacobean and Georgian wainscot reused as a dado in the chancel and sanctuary. Brass chandelier dated 1808. Georgian Communion rails with balusters and double gates. At right is a piscina into which one of the windows encroaches; aumbry at left.

Monuments generally of the C18 or C19. At left in the chancel is a fine memorial to Hannah, wife of the Rev. W Worthington [1800], by Nelson of Shrewsbury. Also by Nelson is a memorial to John and Ann Bill [1796, 1797] at the right of the chancel. An engraved brass to the Rev. Griffith Lloyd [1696] has painted lettering on its wooden frame. Behind the right prayer desk is a bilingual Gothic brass to the Rev. R H Matthews [1888].

Varied stained glass: the east window shows Christ the King with St Bride and St David. Other glass includes an early Victorian medallion of the Raising of Lazarus in the lancet window south of the chancel [1847] by David Evans. The larger window beside this (by Curtis, Ward and Hughes) is a memorial to the mother of William Morris Hughes, Labour Prime Minister of Australia, unveiled in 1921 by Mrs Lloyd George. The south window closest to the door is a memorial of the Great War. Modern baptismal west window lighting the area around the font.

Reasons for Listing

A mediaeval church with many interesting sub-mediaeval features well restored in the late C19 by a leading architect.

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.