Ward Monument in churchyard of the Church of St Mary

Cadw's description

Location

The tomb is set 3m S of the S nave wall of the church.

History

Erected sometime after 1854. T E Ward was an industrialist, lessee and developer of Black Park Colliery from 1805, owner of the Plas Kinaston brickworks, who laid a tramway to the canal at Rhos-y-waen. Later he established wharves for coal and limestone on the Montgomery Canal at Newtown and Welshpool. John Dicken of Cefn-y-wern, his son-in-law, continued his businesses, including Pen-y-bont brickworks.

Exterior

An open chest of painted sandstone, each side with a wide cusped arch and hollow spandrels, set on a base, and with slight buttresses at the corners. Exposed within, a ridged hog-back tomb inscribed on the top to Thomas Edward Ward, died 1854, Edward Lloyd, Harriet etc and the name of John Ward Dicken is carved on the capstone. The whole monument is set on a plinth and surrounded by bold cast iron railings, cross-laced and cusped at the top, and with fleur terminals.

Reason for designation

Included as a good example of a mid-Victorian graveyard monument to an important local industrialist, of group value with the church within the Conservation Area.