History

Medieval parish church, probably on early Christian site. Uncertain date, but roof probably C15, porch probably early C17, and windows early C19, altered in 1887 restoration, for ú283/12/11d, by D. Davies of Penrhiwllan. Restored again 1957, probably by A.D.R. Caroe.

Exterior

Rubble stone with slate roof, nave with big W porch and double bellcote, off-line chancel. Cement coping to gables and plain iron cross finials. Bellcote is plain with two triangular-headed openings. Porch has low arched doorway with ledged door. Two chamfered collar-trusses within and bier dated 1835. Pointed inner double panelled doors. Nave has battered base to walls, four S windows with cambered heads and stone voussoirs, 1887 2-light timber tracery with cusped heads and leaded glazing. A fragment of a C15 mullion window is built in to right, and between third and fourth windows is large blocked pointed opening with squared reveal. Between first and second windows is blocked slit. Nave N has two small slit windows exposed 1957 and 2-light cusped stone mullion window, probably C15, to right. Nave walls bear signs of rebuilding narrower on N and W end of S side. Chancel has N slit window and single lancet, 1887 Bath stone 3-light E window and S single lancet, the lancets probably medieval.

Interior

Attractive whitewashed interior with slate floors, nine C15 roof trusses to nave, exposed in 1957, and 1887 pitch-pine pews painted grey in 1957. Low plain pointed chancel arch, and chancel with 1887 boarded ceiling. Nave roof is exceptional, near identical to that at Mwnt, with broad arch-braced collar-beam trusses with apex kingposts, the open spandrels trefoil-cusped. A third similar roof was known at Cenarth but lost c1970. The type is otherwise unknown in S.W. Wales. Windows have plain square reveals. Tomb recess below N pulpit window, and another on chancel S wall. Small piscina at E end of nave S wall. Furnishings: Plain square tooled font with deeply chamfered underside on cylindrical shaft and square base. Possibly C13. Nave S slate neo Grec monument to Ann Reynolds of Blaenhoffnant Uchaf d1830, signed D.D.S.W., and plaque with urn to Charlotte Curtis d1848. Nave E neo-classical marble monument with urn and broken tree to Jane Jenkins of Dyffryn Bern d1816. Nave N marble plaque to Abel Walters of Perthgeraint d1841, signed H. Phillips, H'West, with draped urn. Pitch pine 1887 pulpit and reading desk, oak eagle lectern. In chancel arch N, slate plaque to George Lloyd of Llanborth d1678 and descendants. Chancel N oval plaque to Maurice Evans d1820. In sanctuary floor, brass plate to Dame Bridgett Lewis of Abernantbychan d1643. Stained glass E window 1887. In porch is limestone square C13 font with scallopped base, removed here from Sarnau Church, but originally from Cenarth.

Reasons for Listing

Graded I for an outstanding medieval roof, one of only two in SW Wales.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• St Michael's Church at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17736043

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

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)