Church of St Nicholas

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in isolated position some 150m down lane running S from junction about 330m E of Rhydyfantwn Bridge.

Exterior

1860 Anglican parish church designed by R.J.Withers, architect of London, in tooled blue lias ashlar with slate roof and red tile cresting. Nave, chancel, N porch, SE vestry and W bellcote. Small Gothic church with cusped lancet windows, one pair to each side of nave, 2-light with quatrefoil head to chancel N, 2-light with sexfoil head to E and single lancet to S chancel Lean-to S chancel vestry with shouldered head to W door, 2-light E window and fine chimney stack on chancel S wall, battered in three steps and with square smoke vents under hipped stone cap. N porch is gabled with roll-moulded pointed doorway and similar inner door with wrought-iron hinges. W front has projected centre, 2-light plate traceried W window with trefoil head, the projection shouldered at springing level of window and then continuing up, first battered and then straight, to base of Doulting stone bellcote; battered sides and then pointed arch with chamfered piers, coped gable and weathercock.

Churchyard is roughly circular with gates at NW. Iron railed enclosure for tombs of James family of Pantsaeson.

Interior

3-bay nave roof with arch-braced collar trusses, octagonal stone font and timber pulpit. Plastered walls and chancel arch. Scissor rafter roof to chancel, timber reredos and altar rails. Two strips of painted decoration in tones of brown on chancel side walls, cherubs and angels.

Reason for designation

A well designed small church in severe High Victorian Gothic manner.