Church of St Trillo

Cadw's description

Location

Prominently sited surmounting a mound, in a large grave-yard.

History

The earliest visible remains relate to a C13 church (see the N wall of the present N aisle), which was extended in the early C16, forming a double-naved church. A restoration was carried out in 1857 by H Kennedy, and the church was again restored in 1898.

Exterior

Rough rubble with freestone dressings, probably at one time lime-washed to serve as a navigational landmark, and now partly roughcast rendered. Slate roofs. West tower, nave and N aisle (originally both naves). West tower, said to have been built in 1552, and adapted to serve as a watch tower in c1600. Undivided, battered tower with embattled parapet. Chamfered arched paired bellchamber lights. Nave has panel traceried W window of 3 lights, the work if Kennedy. Roughcast S porch with coped gable and plain pointed archway. 3-light Perpendicular windows in S wall, and blocked plain chamfered priest’s doorway towards the E. Big 5-light Perpendicular E window in hollow chamfered surround. E window of N aisle is styled like the W nave window and is also a C19 restoration. Gabled vestry and organ chamber (not so built) project from N wall of nave, and in this wall the blocked remains of an Early English arcade of 2 bays are visible.

Interior

Nave arcade of 4 bays, octagonal columns carrying shallow deeply moulded 4-centred arches. Carved angels carrying shields at the springing of each arch. Undifferentiated sanctuary occupies easternmost bay. C16 roof, with heavy, roughly shaped arched braced collar trusses, and chunky wind-braces. N wall of aisle reveals the chamfered square bases of 2 pointed arches of the blocked arcade. Rough voussoir arched doorway leads to W vestry. Furnishings: C13 font: bulbous octagonal basin with ribs at angles and a nailhead frieze. C19 benches. Reredos was erected c1919 as a War Memorial: scalloped shallow arched panels line the sanctuary and form the reredos, where they are filled with high reliefs representing the agony in the garden, the crucifixion, and the angel at the tomb. Pulpit of 1919: blind Perpendicular panels and vine scroll frieze. Stained glass: nave E window dated 1873 - by Heaton Butler and Bayne. E window of N aisle is possibly also by Heaton Butler and Bayne. S windows in nave, with commemoration dates of 1869 and 1894 are unattributed, although stylistically the window of 1869 is very similar to the main E window. The W window is dated 1902, and is by Curtis, Ward and Hughes.