Churchyard at Manordeifi Old Church

Cadw's description

Location

Situated around Old Church, some 1.1km of E of Llechryd Bridge.

History

Churchyard steeply sloping to S of church with numerous memorials of the later C18 and C19, notable for the number of iron railed enclosures, some with exceptionally ornate wrought iron overthrows. Churchyard was cleared of undergrowth and some of the ironwork restored c.1968-73 by the Rev P Evans.

Exterior

Churchyard of Manordeifi Old Church, irregular shape, steeply rising to S Entrance with rubble stone and slate stile at W end. Within churchyard are a number of iron-railed enclosures around family burial plots, mostly with spearhead rails and Cilgerran stone plinths. They are as follows:

1. Attached to W porch: Lewis of Clynfyw enclosure with cut Cilgerran stone plinth, iron railings and urn stanchions, memorial first date 1789.

2. Attached to nave NW angle: Rev J Blackwell (d. 1840), marble cross memorial within (erected 1913), Cilgerran stone plinth, spearhead rails and urn stanchions.

3. Attached to nave N, slate paved enclosure with Cilgerran stone low plinth, iron rails with dog-bars, scrolled spears and urn stanchions. Gate with curved scrolled overthrow. An early C19 wall plaque behind to Anna Thomas of Gellideg (d. 1759).

4. Attached to chancel NW: iron rails and wrought iron overthrow to E entry, squat urn stanchions. Wall memorial to John Williams of Blaenheiny (d. 1781) and Thomas Williams of Plasyberllan (d. 1835).

5. E of chancel: tall iron rails, large urn stanchions and ornate wrought iron scrolled overthrow. Cross within to John Colby of Ffynone (d. 1874).

6. Attached to N of chancel: iron rails and urn stanchions, fine wrought iron overthrow. Wall memorial to Saunders family of Pentre (1750-1806). Another wrought iron overthrow bridges path to link with next item.

7. Iron railed enclosure on slope, slab memorial to David Davies of Pentre (d. 1829) and Saunders-Davies family, the urns on the stanchions similar but cast to rake in line with slope.

8. On churchyard S slope: iron railed enclosure with bulbous cast-iron W gateposts, memorial to John Williams of Plasyberllan (d. 1866).

E of chancel is large stone arch-headed memorial with voussoirs to the arch framing a recess with attached plaque to Lt John Griffith of Vaynor (d. 1797).

Reason for designation

Group value with Old Church, the enclosures are relatively rare survivors as many elsewhere were taken for wartime scrap.