Church of St Thomas

Cadw's description

Location

In the centre of Talywain standing in an extensive rectangular rubble walled churchyard.

History

A church built in the 'Commissioners Gothic' or 'lancet' style in 1831-2 by Edward Haycock of Shrewsbury. It had become necessary with the development of the collieries and the near-by British Ironworks (opened 1823), together with the housing for the newly arrived workers. It was built by John Lee of Pontypool and consecrated on 10/11/1832 as a chapel-of-ease for Pontypool, becoming a parish in its own right in 1844. Reseated in 1869 it was restored in 1974 and is disused at the time of resurvey (December 1996).

Exterior

Squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings, the west front is rendered. Welsh slate roof. Large rectangular barn like church with a small chancel and a very small west porch. Five bay nave with the bays divided by pilaster buttresses with off-sets. Each bay has a lancet window with dripmould over; leaded glazing. Diagonal corner buttresses, moulded eaves gutter, plain roof with kneelers and gabled bell-cote on west gable. The west end has a window on either side of a small gabled porch with kneelers and diagonal buttresses, cross to gable. Smaller lancet window without dripmould above porch, roundel above this. Chancel has triple Early English window (boarded up at time of resurvey).

Interior

The interior has been stripped out apart from the west gallery which has a panelled front and is supported on two slim cast iron columns. The under gallery was divided into rooms with a light timber and glass front in c1960. Chamfered four-centred chancel arch. Moulded plaster cornice, five beams on corbelled brackets support the flat ceiling.

Reason for designation

Included as a scarce South Wales example of an Anglican church of the 1830's and of historic interest as a church for a newly developed industrial parish.