History

A medieval foundation, but rebuilt in 1792 by David Thomas of Rhayader. The nave and chancel were restored in neo-Norman style 1881.

Exterior

A neo-Norman style church comprising nave and chancel under a single roof, S porch and W tower of 1792. Walls are rubble stone, with Bath stone dressings introduced in 1881. Roofs are behind coped gables on moulded kneelers, and above a moulded stone cornice, and are tiled with 4 graded bands of fish-scale tiles. C19 iron rainwater goods are retained.

Windows and doors are round-headed, and mainly incorporate nook shafts with scallop capitals. The S porch has wooden gates and a corbel table. The S nave door is boarded with strap hinges. The S wall has a single window L of the porch and 2 windows to the R. The E window has 3 stepped round-headed lights with thin shafts. To the lower R of the window is a grave slab to Thomas Lloyd (d 1817). On the N side of the chancel, set back from the E end, is a vestry under an outshut roof. Its N window comprises 2 round-headed lights, and its boarded W door is under a shouldered lintel. The nave has 3 N windows similar to the S.

The 3-stage tower has angle buttresses in the W wall, but set-back NW and SW buttresses in the N and S walls. The W doorway, remodelled in 1881 with nook shafts and hood mould, has a boarded door with strap hinges. An added lean-to is on the N side. The middle stage has a small, narrow S window. Round-headed bell openings have wooden louvres. A raised band is beneath an embattled parapet.

Interior

The nave and chancel have a 7-bay roof with corbelled trusses incorporating 2 tiers of arched braces. The 2 bays that constitute the chancel also have similar intermediate trusses. A round arch exposed at the W end of the S wall is probably a window of 1792 blocked in 1881. The round tower arch has nook shafts with scalloped capitals, and is infilled, partly by a wooden screen and doorway. The E window has a rere-arch with similar shafts and capitals, and disc frieze to the arches. A reredos is composed of blind arcading with shafts and scalloped capitals, chevron and roll-moulded arches, and tympani with gold-painted diaper patterns. An aumbry is on a wall shaft in the N wall. A round arch to the N vestry is part infilled and has a wooden screen and doorway.

The C19 font has a square bowl with scalloped underside. The bowl has roundels with IHS, dove, Alpha and Omega and cross, and cable moulding to the rim. The round stem is on a square base with foliage moulding to the angles. Pews are plain, and the choir stalls have open arcaded fronts. The polygonal freestone pulpit has mandorla-shaped panels with symbols including Chi Rho and IHS. The communion rail has iron uprights with scrolled brackets to a wooden hand rail.

There are several wall monuments. In the nave N wall is an alabaster inscription tablet to Daniel Reid (d 1827) below an urn. A memorial to John Davies (d 1812) and family, by Jennings of Hereford, comprises an inscription panel with foliage apron, and entablature surmounted by an urn. A small simple inscription panel to Ben Michael (killed 1917) is by B. Lloyd of Rhayader. A brass plaque commemorating Thomas Humphreys (d 1900) is by Cawthorp & Sons of London. In the nave S wall, a memorial tablet to Elizabeth Davies (d 1827) by B. Jennings, is flanked by consoles and surmounted by a sarcophagus. Two inscription tablets by Thomas of Brecon are on the same background slate, and commemorate Morgan Evans (d 1802) and his son Morgan Evans (d 1829). A memorial to John Evans (d 1798) has an inscription panel, apron with heraldic shield, and is surmounted by a draped urn. In the N wall of the tower is an inscription panel with pediment to Charles Powell (pre 1836) and a small oval tablet commemorating Lewis Morgan (d 1798).

Most windows contain stained glass, depicting Biblical scenes. The E window shows the principal events in the life of Christ, including Nativity and Crucifixion. In the chancel N and S walls, dated 1887, are figures of Christ with Mary Magdalene. In the nave S wall are Jesus with Mary and Martha at the tomb of Lazarus, dated 1895, and Christ with Disciples at the sea of Galilee (post 1900). In the nave N wall is Christ healing the sick, dated 1897 and Christ blessing a woman in Jerusalem, not dated.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its special architectural interest as a mainly C19 church of definite quality and character with good interior detail and fine C18 tower.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29506158

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.

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