Church of St John, Llangwm Isaf

Cadw's description

Location

Situated adjoining Pentre Farm, some 600m N of Llangwm village, and 500m W of Llangwm Uchaf church.

History

Parish church of Llangwm Isaf, situated only some 500m from Llangwm Uchaf church. Recorded from C12, but mostly rebuilt in 1849-51 by Prichard & Seddon, as in 1848 it was said to have been ruined for 100 years.

Exterior

Parish church, purple rubble stone with dressings in pale stone and purple sandstone, and imitation stone tiles to roof. Single chamber with W porch and bellcote on ridge between nave and chancel. Coped gables, cross finials to E gable and bellcote, which has single cusped opening and one bell. All windows and doors apparently C19, perhaps restorations of existing medieval features. W front has pale stone flush quoins, 2 small purple stone eroded cusped lancets, and apex quatrefoil. Large porch has coped gable, similar quoins and finely moulded pointed entry with hoodmould and stone voussoirs over. Moulding is of two ogees with a hollow between and a half-round shaft with simple moulded capitals and chamfered bases, apparently C19 but matching late medieval mouldings at Llansoy. C19 porch roof with arch-braced collar-trusses, pointed chamfered W doorway, with plank door. S side has 2-step buttress between nave and chancel, nave has Perpendicular style flat-headed 3-light window with hoodmould, chancel has narrow Tudor-arched door and single cusped lancet. E end has large pointed Perpendicular-style 3-light window with panel tracery in head, and hoodmould. Quatrefoil light in gable. Pale flush angle quoins.
N wall base is battered, possibly medieval, nave has 2 eroding purple stone flat-headed windows similar to that on S side, one 3-light, one 2-light, similar buttress and similar lancet to chancel.

Interior

Exposed rubble stone within with tooled red sandstone surrounds to openings and cambered rear arches. Nave 4-bay roof with arch-braced collar-trusses. Nave and chancel divided by continuously moulded pointed chancel arch in pale stone. Ogee moulding. C19 brass hanging corona above. One step to chancel, which has 3-bay roof similar to nave but with windbracing. Two steps to sanctuary. Sanctuary railing on 4 brass standards. Stalls on S side, 2 benches, one with pierced cinquefoils. Matching litany desk on N side. C19 pews, 5 oil lamps (originally 6) on timber standards. Stone and concrete curved pulpit, designed and made by W.G. Stephens, churchwarden, 1965. High Victorian heavy octagonal ashlar font with deep bowl, moulded beneath, squat shaft and moulded base.

Reason for designation

Included as a well-preserved smaller Victorian rural church with medieval origins.