History

Reputedly with an Early Christian foundation. One of the smaller cruciform churches of Wales. Earliest masonry appears to be N wall of random rubble, the rest an enlargement of late C14. Tower and N transept rebuilt 1838 by John Montgomery Traherne of Coedrhyglan/Coedarhydyglyn, commemorated on a plaque inside the church, the four-gabled tower top with finials a C19 introduction. Adjacent first school backing onto churchyard was founded in early C19 for children of farm-workers and tenants by the Traherne family. Nearby former Rectory at Drope erected later C19 for Rector and Chancellor of the Diocese of Llandaff, George Traherne.

Exterior

Medieval parish church. Plan of short nave, shallow S porch, central tower with staircase bay to N, N and S transepts, chancel. Of unrendered rubble with some ashlar dressings; Welsh slate roof with kneelers. Nave is tall with no windows on N side though signs of masonry alterations; deep stepped angled tooled buttresses to W front which has central pointed chamfered arched doorway with paired long lancets above. S porch is gabled, no side windows, pointed-arched doorway with hoodmould; text plaque above. Inside the porch, one medieval arch-braced truss and 2 rows of purlins, stone benches, flagged floor, iron gates with spear finials; pointed arched S doorway is chamfered and stopped; battened door. Tower has coped gables with matching string-course below to each face, topped by unusual 4-branched foliated finials (C19); a weather-vane rises from the centre; louvred 2-light belfry opening with chunky Perpendicular tracery to S, single cusped light to N and E, slit lights below. Staircase tower with shallow-pitched roof set in the angle between N nave and transept has slit window and very narrow pointed-arched doorway with hoodmould. S nave window of 3 cusped lights in a square frame with hoodmould. Gabled transepts lower than nave have square headed windows with trefoil-headed lights: 3-light to N, 2-light to S, single at E. Chancel substantially lower than nave has a pointed arched priests' door and sanctuary windows, 2-light to S, single light to N, C19 E window of Geometric tracery; angle buttresses and further buttress on N wall.

Interior

Interior is known to be rendered and whitewashed, with plain steeply pointed crossing arches and thin ribbed plaster vault dating from C19 reconstruction. Medieval wagon roof with square bosses to nave; medieval arch-braced roof to S transept. Two tomb recesses in chancel: one with segmental arch with 2 rolls and hood with headstops wearing chain mail helmets, C14; the other larger with cusping and hoodmould, a little later in date. Octagonal font of C15. C18 and C19 wall monuments, including one commemorating the rebuilding of the church by John Montgomery Traherne. Traherne family pew in S transept. Chamber organ late C19 from Coedarhydyglyn. Coats of Arms of earlier Lords of the Manor, including Le Fleming, owner of the Castle of St Georges.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* as a cruciform church retaining much medieval fabric including timber roofs.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17744449

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

• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)