Church of St Mary

Cadw's description

Location

About 1800m south west of Tintern Abbey in a field to the east of the St Arvans road.

History

A medieval church which appears to have Norman origins and has some C14 windows, but it was restored in the Victorian period, perhaps in c1880, and has since remained largely unchanged. It was annexed to St Arvans parish in 1888, and this date could well be related to the Victorian restoration. In 1981 St Arvans and Pentery parish was combined with Devauden, Itton, amd Kilgwrrwg parishes.

Exterior

The church is constructed of mainly local coarse-grained red sandstone with some fine-grained limestone. The early windows and the corners of the building have sandstone dressings and coarse sandy limestone was used for the Victorian openings. The roof is Welsh slate with concrete intelocking tiles to the porch. The building consists of nave with integral chancel, the two differentiated only by the altar rail with step, west bellcote and west porch. The west gable has a projecting timber porch added in the Victorian restoration which looks to be c1880. The roof tiling must date with the white brick infill to the sides of the porch and is late C20. The door is Victorian. Coped gable with Victorian gabled bellcote and a single bell apparently dated 1734. The south wall has a single light and a 2-light window both with cusped heads. The first appears to be inserted into the medieval doorway and the second seems C16 in origin. The east gable has a 2-light one and the north wall another, these are Victorian but in C14 character. The north wall of the chancel has a single light round headed window of apparently Norman ie. C12 or C13 date.

Interior

The church is mostly plastered and ceiled, but the plaster has recently been removed from the south wall and the east wall is pine panelled. The position of the medieval windows suggests that the floor level was raised at some time. The furnishings are all Victorian and very plain with removable benches. The roof has three queen strut trusses with two tiers of staggered purlins. The church is lit by oil and gas light.

Reason for designation

Included as a small medieval church restored in the late C19, which survives at the remote, extremely attractive, and otherwise deserted, site of a medieval village.