Church of St John the Baptist

Cadw's description

Location

To N and above village in large churchyard.

History

The earliest documentary evidence for the church is a charter of the mid C12 when the church was a possession of Tewkesbury Abbey. Evidence in the fabric of C12 origins, and work of C14. Tower said to have been built at expense of Anne Neville, wife of Richard III, 1477, and has stylistic links with Devon or Somerset. Extensive restoration by C B Fowler, of Cardiff, 1896/7, included removal of coved ceilings and restoration of re-exposed late Medieval roofs, new chancel arch, opening out of entrance to S chapel. Tower restored 1907.

Exterior

Local stone, slate roofs. Chancel, aisleless nave, S chapel with adjacent S porch, W tower. Decorated and Perpendicular styles. Tower of two stages with stepped diagonal buttresses and polygonal NE stair turret, crenellated parapet with corner pinnacles, 3-light bell-chamber openings, 3-light Perp window over W doorway. Two-light window to L of gabled S porch in ashlar, doorway with hoodmould flanked by head corbels, old memorials set above stone benches; inner doorway offset to L. Three-light Dec window to S chapel which has 2-light window to E, with sundial over. Trefoil lancets to S wall of chancel. 3-light Perp E window. Two 2-light windows to N side of nave.

Interior

Late medieval Nave roof (restored) with arch-braces, wind-braces, collar purlin. In N wall, doorway to (removed) rood loft has old (C15?) door. Screen with organ to S chapel (which has vaulted crypt, once used as ossuary); mutilated effigy in Gothic-arched recess. Low chancel, late C19 chancel arch and roof; C20 reredos of Supper at Emmaus. Tall tower arch, inner chamfer on figured corbels. Medieval tub font; memorials arranged beneath tower. Tablet to parents of Sir Leoline Jenkins (erected 1763)

Reason for designation

Graded I as Medieval parish church with much surviving detail and fine tower.