Church of St Paul

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in a prominent position on hillside in N part of town.

History

Built 1886 by E M Bruce Vaughan with some later additions. Originally known as St Paul's Penrhiwgwynt in the Parish of Llanwonno it became part of new parish of Cymmer with Porth in 1890. Refurbished in 1925 by Herbert North, architect of Llanfairfechan - his only known work in South Wales.

Exterior

Gothic. Of snecked rock faced sandstone, with ashlar dressings, rock faced quoins, decorative clay ridge tiles to chancel, apex crosses and Welsh slate roof. Comprises nave, slightly lower chancel, gabled lower N aisle added 1911, cross gabled S porch, belltower unusually at ESE corner. S frontage has cusped lancets with hoodmoulds and stops and intervening buttresses; belltower has narrow lights and cusped louvres; E and W nave windows have geometric tracery; N aisle has perp W and wide N windows; sillband and plinth. Surrounded E W and S by rubble stone wall with mostly saddleback coping to S and iron rails to E.

Interior

Of 5 bays open to simple hammer beam shape roof. Main interest is unusual bayed chancel screen of slender narrow pointed arches of painted wood and metal on stone plinth and richly painted wood reredos with emblems of the passion and saints under canopies, part of the 1925 refurbishment which also includes stained glass in E window by F C Eden and painted ceiling panels above altar.

Reason for designation

Listed for the interest of its 1925 refurbishment by Herbert North and for its dominant position in the townscape.