Church of Saint David

Location

Situated on W side of A478 some 800m S of Penybryn.

History

The church before restoration had 2 pointed Georgian sashes on S side, the big W buttress and the bellcote, and was said to have been rebuilt only 80 years before. The restoration plan proposed retaining the walls, W front, base of the buttress externally, the base of the chancel arch, and the font, and reusing the roof trusses. The contractors were Griffiths & Thomas of Cilgerran.

In the churchyard, standing stone (Scheduled Ancient Monument Pe 143) with small incised quatrefoil or round-armed cross set in a circle, and Ogham inscription interpreted as NEQA SAGROM MAQI MUCOI NECI.

Exterior

Medieval origins, rebuilt 1812 and again 1886-7 by H Prothero of Middleton, Prothero and Philott, of Cheltenham. Small and low, in rubble stone with Doulting stone dressings and slate roofs. Nave and chancel with bellcote and 1887 N porch and N vestry. Coped shouldered gables. W end big centre buttress with 1887 moulded plinth and coping, and gabled bellcote with two arched openings. N porch with coped gable, Tudor-arched entry and 1887 plaque. One nave 3-light flat-headed Perp style window. Nave S has two similar 4-light windows, and chancel S one similar 3-light. Chancel has 2-light E window, flat-headed with ornate reticulated tracery, and N vestry. Two slate plaques inset into the S walls, one of 1815 the other of 1808.

Interior

C20 roughcast cladding, plain chancel arch. Plain wishbone-truss roofs, reused from previous church. Fittings all of 1887 including pews, panelled oak pulpit, tiled floors, with encaustic tiles in chancel, two high-backed chancel stalls given by the architect, H. Prothero, and lectern. Medieval square font with bead moulding to angles, the lower corners slightly rounded. Circular short shaft. No stained glass.