Church of Saint Teilo

Cadw's description

Location

Situated SW of the village street in large sloping churchyard.

History

Medieval origins, rebuilt from ruins in 1926 by J Coates Carter, architect of Cardiff and Penarth. Arts and Crafts style making careful use of local materials.

Exterior

Rubble stone with single slate roof. Nave and chancel, S transept and W bellcote. Tiny W window and W end rough stone 2-arch gabled bellcote. Nave N has plain arched door and long window with single stone lintel. To left, chancel is marked by wall projection for rood stair, in two slight steps, then long chancel with long narrow arched single window and then 2-light. E end has single pointed window, while chancel S is outshut with two square headed leaded lights. S transept has two S long lancets. Have S has two plain square headed windows with slab lintels. Windows generally have rough stone jambs, without ashlar.

Interior

Long and low interior with exposed stone walls, cambered tie beams to roofs and scissor-rafters. Medieval, possibly C13, octagonal font with sides splayed in to chamfered base over circular shaft. Simple open-back pews. Built out passage in N wall gives access to pulpit and to rood stair, the pulpit three-sided and simple in the angle to the screen, which is exceptionally fine with rood-loft and carved Crucifixion to front. Loft is reached by mural stair to N and closes low rough stone chancel arch. S transept has splayed NE opening into chancel. Altar with coloured gesso on timber altarpiece, brought forward. Stained glass in E window of c1926, in S transept c1926 and in nave S c1938.

Reason for designation

Church was rebuilt from ruin in 1924-6 for the Thomas family of Trehale, St Edrins. It is a rare example in W Wales of a church built according to Arts and Crafts principles, that uses the simplest available local materials without attempt at period styles.