History

Possibly a foundation of the C5, a church is first mentioned on the site in 1173 and was probably dedicated to St Illtyd by this time. In the C19 the church fell into disrepair, and was rebuilt in 1867-8 retaining the same plan and some of the medieval fabric. The architect was David Vaughan of Bonvilston, who had built a new town hall in Bridgend. It is likely that the Samuel Gibbon family of Trecastle were benefactors, as the contemporary stained glass windows were provided by them. They may also be represented by 2 small head bosses, a man and a woman, on the hoodmould of the W window. Parts of the N and S walls and the C15 chancel arch were retained from the earlier church, along with the decorated medieval font, which has similarities with those at Pyle and Llantrisant. Two church bells also survive from the earlier building, of C15 and C17 dates. The vestry was added in 1933.

Exterior

Small church with nave, W bellcote, S porch, chancel and N vestry. Constructed of coursed rubble with red banding or individual stone blocks under slate roofs. Bathstone quoins and dressings, raised copings and cross finials. Pointed arched windows with hoodmoulds; single trefoiled lancets or plate tracery windows with 2 or 3 trefoiled lights. The W end has a 2-light window with large circle under the arch, and small quatrefoils in the spandrels. The end bosses of the hoodmould bear the heads of a man and woman. The W bellcote is supported on a corbelled relieving arch. Stepped sides and gabled roof to bell chamber, which contains 2 trefoiled openings for the bells.

The S side of the nave has a gabled porch with steep pitch offset to the L. Chamfered pointed arched entrance with late C20 decorative steel gates. A sun-dial is mounted above the arch, donated in 1988 and replacing an earlier one. Side benches inside porch and quarry tile floor. Single light to L of porch. Two 2-light windows to R, each with a quatrefoil in a circle under the arch. The chancel has continuous bands of red stone and contains 2 single lights.

The E window is 3-light with a large circle containing a cinquefoil. The later lean-to vestry on the N side of the chancel has 2 short pointed windows to the N in heavy surrounds, and a pointed doorway in the W end with planked door. The N side of the nave has a single trefoiled light offset to the L, probably respecting the medieval arrangement.

Interior

A pointed arched doorway leads into the nave which has a scissor-braced roof. The small pointed chancel arch of grey stone has C15 dressings, 3 orders of mouldings and narrow attached shafts to the interior jambs with rounded, fluted caps. The nave has a central aisle flanked by benches with curved arm rests and a coloured quarry tile floor. Medieval octagonal font to SW with chip-carved decoration. The S and NE faces depict 2 stylised trees, whilst the E face bears 2 chip-carved circles, one above the other. The remaining sides have large rosettes. Octagonal wood panelled pulpit to L of chancel arch.

Scissor-braced roof to chancel. Choir stalls to each side with wood panelled fronts decorated with blind cusped arches. A pointed doorway leads N into the vestry. The E window has brightly coloured stained glass depicting the Nativity, Crucifixion and Resurrection, of 1868 by Joseph Bell of Bristol. The S windows of the chancel contain similar stained glass bearing the heraldic emblems of the Samuel Gibbon family, a shield to the L and a boar's head to the R.

In the floor of the chancel, between the choir stalls, is an Elizabethan tomb stone dedicated to William Gibbon of Trecastle and dated 1584. A cast iron grave marker is set into the chancel wall at the SW corner, and is dedicated to a later William Gibbon (d 1759) and bears a large heraldic shield in relief. To the R of the vestry door is a stone panel dedicated to the Rev Griffith Griffiths of Eckington, Worcs. (d 1812). He was rector of the parish but mainly absent, the memorial dedicated by those 'who took pleasure in his aquaintance'. Between the S windows of the chancel is a marble wall monument to Robert Savours of Trecastle (d 1818) and other members of his family. A brass plaque over the vestry door is to Private William Lewis who died in the Boer War in 1901. On the N wall of the nave is a large marble tablet to Arthur Jenkin Richards, son of Rev Richards, who was killed in WWI.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a church retaining medieval fabric, which was rebuilt by a significant South Wales architect of C19. The medieval font is of additional interest.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29500240

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

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)