Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Old Town Church of St Thomas
Neath, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II*
- Broad class
- Religious, Ritual and Funerary
- Date of designation
- 15 August 1975
- Community
- Neath
- Unitary authority
- Neath Port Talbot
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.66396, -3.80403
- Cadw reference
- 11776
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Located in a spacious churchyard within Church Place.
History
Late C13 foundation of St Thomas the Matyr, re-named St Thomas the Apostle at the Reformation. Aisled nave with W tower. Medieval W tower of c1340 raised 1691.
Exterior
Nave largely rebuilt and aisles added 1730. General restoration of 1874. Three stage W tower, rubble-freestone dressings. First and second floor bands, stepped diagonal buttresses, regular quoins. Crenellated parapet on corbels, waterspouts to corners, clockface to W. Restored (late C17?) 2 light cusped openings to bell stage elevations. Returned labels with stops. Tall pointed window over W door. Returned hoodmould. Cusped, 4 light transomed panel tracery, hollow chamfered reveals. Returned label over door, roll moulded reveals, 4 centred arch, plain spandrels, late C19 doors.
Interior
Five bay aisled nave. Scribed plaster on rubble, m-shaped slate roof, oversailing eaves. Doorcases of 1731 W end of N and W elevations of aisles. Stepped architraves, keystone. Moulded flat hood on brackets, C19 6 panel doors. Two light Victorian round arched geometric windows. Vice inset to SW angle with tower. Early C19 vestry to SE angle with chancel, coursed rubble, dressed quoins, gabled slate roof; 24 pane sash window with round arched doorway offset to right on E. Panelled door. Venetian window to E end of chancel.
Rectangular arcade piers rise to plain round arches, moulded capitals with toothed ornament. C19 nave roof, boarded arch braced trusses. Plastered aisle ceilings, moulded cornice to N. Fine Royal Arms of 1731 to N aisle E wall. Wall monument of 1794 to Sir Humphrey Mackworth to S aisle. Draped sarcophagus bearing urn on podium with pilasters and family arms, gilded marble; hatchments over. Numerous monuments and baluster font with gadrooning to bowl and beneficiary plaques to aisle walls and arcade piers, mostly C18. C10 incised wheel cross fragment formerly in Llanilltyd churchyard by vice doorway at W end S aisle.
Moulded returned hoodmould with toothed ornament to Venetian E window. Panelled vestry door to S side of chancel. Early C18 altar rails, cannon barrel balusters. Later C19 reredos from St David’s Church Pelas of 6 bells dated 1720.
Reason for designation
A fine example of an early Georgian church with furnishings rare in Wales.
Nearby in the register
- Gates, Gatepiers & Churchyard Wall of St Thomas' ChurchReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- 24 Church StreetCommercialunder 1 mi
- Mechanics InstituteRecreationalunder 1 mi
- Adrian Hicks & SonCommercialunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.