Church of St David

Cadw's description

Location

About 5km north east of Abergavenny off the north side of the Skenfrith road.

History

The tower is probably C14-C15 though the features are undatable. It may be of two builds below and above the string course but its pre-Victorian appearance was much as now except for the added castellated parapet. The rest of the church was demolished in May 1879 and rebuilt 1879-80, designed by John Prichard the Llandaff diocesan architect, and paid for (£1450) by Crawshay Bailey junior (1841-1887). He also paid for the bells, organ, fittings, plate etc. A tablet in the church records :-

'THIS TABLET IS ERECTED BY THE PARISHIONERS OF LLANDEWI SKIRRID IN GRATEFUL RECOLLECTION OF THE MUNIFICENT LIBERALITY OF CRAWSHAY BAILEY ESQUIRE OF MAINDIFF COURT IN HAVING REBUILT THEIR PARISH CHURCH ENTIRELY AT HIS OWN EXPENSE A.D. 1879.

JAMES FARQUHAR MA RECTOR
JOSEPH PARTRIDGE
WILLIAM EXTON } CHURCHWARDENS'

Crawshay Bailey II was the only son of Crawshay Bailey I, the leading ironmaster, pioneer of the coal industry and promoter of the railways. The Crawshay Baileys were one of the most powerful South Wales families of their time.

Exterior

Built of rock faced red sandstone walling with small roughly cut Welsh slates. Nave, chancel, west tower, south porch, organ chamber (originally vestry) to north of chancel, sexton's store next to the tower (enlarged 1970). The nave was rebuilt on the foundations of the previous church but both the chancel and the porch were extended. Decorated style.

The south wall has a tall steeply gabled porch with pointed arch with quatrefoil above, and 2-bay roof within. The dripmould over the arch continues as a string course to the sides. The nave wall has a large 3-light window with interlace tracery and dripmould over, to the right of this a stepped buttress. The chancel has a single light and a 2-light window with trefoil heads and a quatrefoil above to the larger one. These sit on a string course which goes round the east end and supports a similar 3-light window.

The north wall of the chancel is covered by a projecting gabled organ chamber with single light windows in the flanks and a 2-light as before in the gable. This is flanked by strip buttresses added in 1970. The nave has a single light and a 2-light window as before. The sexton's store with lean-to roof is in the angle between nave and tower. This has a pointed arch doorway in the west wall.

The tower is random stonework with more carefully dressed quoins. Pointed arch window above a blocked-in door. Small window above this, slits above this on each face, then a string course, and then the tower rises higher but is diminished. The bell stage has small pointed openings except the east wall which has a larger square one which is probably C17. Castellated parapet from 1880.

Interior

The interior is wholly Victorian. Arch braced collar beam roof of 4 bays to nave, wagon roof to chancel. All fittings and furniture date from 1880 except for the partly Norman font, and a late medieval incised grave slab. Minton floor tiles in the chancel. Brightly coloured panelled pulpit with curved brass candlesticks. Royal Arms of Queen Victoria on the west wall of the nave. The east window is a memorial to Crawshay Bailey junior (1841-1887). Two iron tie beams were put across the chancel in 1967.

Reason for designation

Included as an example of the church work of John Prichard which also retains a medieval tower. The church has historic interest for its connection with the Crawshay Bailey family.