History

The church is on an ancient site in a roughly circular churchyard, the entrance path flanked by very old yew trees. It is dedicated to St Garmon, C4-5, who reputedly founded a church here. The medieval church is said to have been rectangular with a square flat W tower and S porch; nothing of this structure remains.

Completely rebuilt in 1846 by Thomas Jones, architect, as a simple preaching box with Perpendicular-style windows. Restored in 1986/7 when it was in poor condition, particularly the interior.

North of the entrance path is a mound approx. 5m across, alleged to have been a preaching mound associated with St Garmon. Set in the top of the mound is a denuded stone, possibly part of a sundial or preaching cross.

Exterior

West tower incorporating porch; nave and chancel in one. Constructed of random grey stone, partly dressed, under reconstituted grey clay tiles. Splayed angles to building with quoins; high plinth with moulded coping; raised copings to gables with kneelers. Perpendicular-style windows with segmental-pointed heads containing bar tracery, the lights with cinquefoiled heads; yellow sandstone surrounds.

Three-stage tower supporting a short spire. The lower stage has splayed angles; the middle stage is stepped-in, the angles broached and continuous with the octagonal upper stage, which has battlemented parapets. Slate-covered spire surmounted by a weather vane. Doorway facing W with moulded square surround; double boarded doors under segmental-pointed arch with infilled spandrels. Relieving arch over. Small single lights to N and S sides of lower stage. Middle stage has 2-light windows to W, S and N sides. Upper octagonal stage has 2-light belfry openings in same style to E, W, S and N sides.

The N and S sides of the nave and chancel are 3-bay, the Perpendicular-style windows with 3 lights. The E end has a 5-light window under a segmental head. Plain diamond tablet to gable and cross finial to gable apex. The splayed angles of the W end have tiny rectangular lights to 2 storeys. Further tiny openings immediately flanking tower at gable level.

Interior

Single chamber nave and chancel. Five-bay roof; collar trusses supported by straight braces. Central aisle flanked by panelled box pews. Gallery to W end; late C17-early C18 turned balustrading to front, perhaps from earlier church on the site. The balustrading rests on a later wood panelled sill which bears a painted inscription recording that the church was rebuilt through the benevolence of F R West in 1846 to accommodate 212 persons. A grant of £70 from the Society for the Enlargement, Building and Repairing of Churches and Chapels was given, along with £125 from the Diocesan Society. Three tiers of benches to gallery; 4-centred archway to rear, now glazed, and modern staircase to N side. Panelled double doors beneath gallery forming entrance to church. To SW of nave, stone bowl font with traceried panels. At E end, turned altar rails as gallery front, flanked by square wood-panelled pulpits, recently reconstructed. These are an unusual feature; that to the S may have been a reading pew. Four small wall tablets, including to Phoebe Hughes (d. 1884), and a brass tablet to the poet John Ceiriog Hughes (1832-87). Stone tablet in memory of Phyllis Storey of Glan Dwr (d. 1987) who funded the late C20 restoration of the church.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a small, well-detailed Victorian church in a consistent Perpendicular style which pre-dates the C19 ecclesiastical revival. The early foundation associated with St Garmon and the fine rural setting are of additional interest.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29504359

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

• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)