Archway to the Way of the Cross at Pantasaph Friary

Cadw's description

Location

Set back to the NW of the friary buildings, and forming the access to the Way of the Cross and The Grotto.

History

The Church of St David, begun in 1849 to the design of T H Wyatt, was built by Lord and Lady Fielding in honour of their marriage. A year later, the church became Roman Catholic on the conversion of the donors. Lord and Lady Fielding established a community of Franciscan Friars of the Capuchin reform in 1852, and the friary buildings were completed in the early 1860s.

This archway leads to the Way of the Cross, a path which zig-zags up the hill passing tiny chapels containing stations of the cross and terminates at a Calvary on top of the hill. The chapels were erected by the monks in 1875 on the feast day of St Francis, and the archway is likely to be contemporary.

Exterior

Tall archway of rubble stone, the pointed arch of stone voussoirs. Rough stonework to extrados with crucifix to apex. Large square-section jambs, slightly advanced to front with arched heads. They contain niches with triangular heads which contain statues of St Francis and St Anthony. Adjoining the jambs to the front and at right angles are rough stone walls which flank an entrance walk. The archway is plain to the rear.

Reason for designation

Listed as a prominent garden structure with a significant religious context and for group value with friary and Church of St David.