Church of All Saints

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in centre of hamlet of Kemeys Commander, W of main A471 road.

History

Anglican parish church, originally dedicated to St John and under the patronage of the Knights Templar. Mentioned in a list of 1254 but detail late C15. Restored in later C19 by Richard Creed (1846-1914), architect. Sir Joseph Bradney mentions repairs in 1897. Church is very similar in form and detail to those at Bettws Newydd and Trostrey, and screen detail matches both.

Exterior

Parish church, rubble stone with c1980 concrete plain tiles to roof, shaped rafter ends and coped gables with kneelers. Small single cell with W bellcote and C15 stone-tiled timber-framed W porch. W bellcote, probably C19, with 2 arched openings and coped gable. Two bells, one C13. S wall has red stone flat-headed 3-light C15 window with ogee heads to lights and timber lintel, then very small Tudor arched light to former rood stair, the blocked Tudor-arched chancel door (stonework mostly renewed), and then red stone flat-headed 2-light window with Perp tracery. E end has C19 cross finial and 3-light C15 window, four-centred arch with ogee heads to lights and panel tracery above. Hollow mould to surround. Windowless N wall. Porch has rubble stone base under timber frame. Front double-ogee moulded doorway with Tudor-arched head, open gable with collar. Sides have wallplate projecting to carry front gable verges which are scallop-carved. Sides are 2-bay, with cross beams and plank panels below. Single purlin 2-bay roof with 2 pairs of chamfered wind-braces and arch-braced collar truss. Stone Tudor arched W door with deep hollow outer moulding and double inner moulding. Studded plank door.

Interior

Single cell interior with chancel divided by C15 oak screen. Rubble stone walls, heavily cement-pointed. Stone flagged floors with some memorial slabs. Restored C15 panelled barrel roof in 6x10 panels, the ribs moulded with floral bosses at intersections, many of ribs replaced and all bosses. Moulded oak wall plate. S wall window in recess carried down to floor. N wall has stone voussoirs of a blocked broad opening. Chancel S blocked door and N C19 window in pointed arch. Oak screen has centre Tudor-arched opening with moulded posts, moulded beam right across, and 4-bay sides. Centre opening has small attached crocketted finials, carried on rounded shaft over a square shaft, with cap between. Sides have horizontal beam, open below, 4 open panels above each side. Moulded mullions and crude flat C15 tracery in heads, renewed c1950. Rear of main beam is deeply coved. No sign of rood stair. Hexagonal font, possibly C13 or early C14 with `malt-shovel' panels to chamfered underside, hexagonal stem and round base. Open-back bench pews of c1870 with pegged mortice joints. Open altar rails of similar date with cusped angle braces. Stone altar with fossil marble slab top. Mid C20 curtained back under timber hood. Small ogee-headed piscina below S window sill.

Reason for designation

A good small medieval church with much surviving detail, including late medieval timberwork, porch and tracery.