Church of St David

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in a prominent position on a hill just NW of the crossroads in the centre of Meidrim.

History

Anglican parish church, medieval, possibly C14 to C15, nave, transepts and chancel. Unusual squared stone battlemented W bellcote may be post-medieval. Restored 1889, the nave and transepts by F R Kempson for £1,000, the chancel apparently rebuilt at the same time by Ewan Christian, architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. There had been repairs in 1825 and 1860 (when 2 Gothic painted windows were inserted, possibly those in nave S) and a proposed restoration in 1870. In 1889 the vestry with organ chamber was added, the interior replastered and refitted, the E window restored with stained glass and the chancel rebuilt. S porch of 1928.

Exterior

Parish church, rubble stone with slate close-eaved roofs and coped gables. Nave, chancel, transepts, W bellcote, S porch.
W end has C19 2-light window with quatrefoil in head. Unusual large bellcote in squared sandstone, slightly corbelled-out with 2 square-headed long openings and embattled top with slate coping and weathercock on gabled centre battlement. S porch has pointed entry with hood and small pointed light to each side. Boarded doors with Y-tracery overlight and armorial glass of 1986 by Celtic Studios. Inner S door is pointed and chamfered, late C19 door with iron hinges. Nave S has two 2-light windows with quatrefoils as W window. S transept has similar S window and single lancet E. Nave has tiny, possibly medieval, vent in E gable, over chancel. Chancel S has cinquefoil-cusped single-light to left, small pointed S door with rounded edge to cut stone surround, and square-headed late C19 2-light window to right. C19 3-light Bath stone late Gothic style E window. N has 2-light square-headed window, as on S side. Lean-to vestry has E door and 2 single lights to N. N transept has small C19 3-light window with flat head, lancet lights. Nave N is near windowless apart from one small 2-light cusped flat-headed window.

Interior

Whitewashed plastered interior with C19 panelled roofs. Nave roof is 3-sided with 6 x 10 panels. Pointed plastered arches to chancel and N transept, chancel arch with deeply chamfered piers on W side. N transept has small door in E wall to a blocked stair within the wall. Boarded panelled 3-sided roof. S transept has higher cambered arch and similar short 3-sided roof. Chancel has low curved roof of 3x8 panels. 1889 4-centred arch on N over organ. Encaustic tiles to floor, one step to sanctuary. Square recess low on E wall, left of altar. Arched recess in S wall, flat head to S door.
Fittings: octagonal font (with shorter diagonal sides) on octagonal shaft and square base, possibly late medieval retooled. Oak 5-sided 1889 pulpit with ogee-tracery blind panels. Oak C19 or earlier C20 screen to N transept, 5 bays, open tracery and panels below. Pitch pine pews and stalls of 1889, the stalls with cinquefoil piercings. Organ by Vowles of Bristol. Communion rails 1889 with twisted brass standards and round wooden rail. Oak altar with blind tracery and centre Lamb of God carving.
Memorials: Nave N fine Baroque memorial to William, Henry, and Rice Thomas of Castle Gorfod, c1765, in white and grey marble with fluted pilasters, cornice broken forward over, and drapery with 3 cherub heads above, base with scrolls and coat of arms. Mary Gwynne Hughes (d 1852), plaque with draped urn by E J Physick. N transept plaque to Lewis Thomas and son (dd 1735 and 1777). Chancel N George Jenkins (d 1840), E wall marble plaque to William Thomas of Pantowin (d 1740) with cornice and urn above, cartouche below; slate plaque to Elizabeth Thomas of Kilycoed (d 1745) and John Thomas (d 1752); marble plaque above to Hester Thomas of Cilycoed (d 1735) in bolection moulded stone frame.
Stained glass: W 2-light, Nativity, to Howells of Penyrheol, 1927 by Hardman. Nave S 2-light 1965 by Celtic Studios, Christ in his father's workshop, to J and M Lewis of Plasyronnen. Nave S second has patterned quarries of c1865 with small stained glass panel in quatrefoil head. Chancel S 2-light Presentation at Temple to Katharine Bearcroft (d 1898), C15 style. E window 1889 by Charles Evans & Co, Last Supper, to Rev Thomas Jenkins and Rev Rhys Jenkins.

Reason for designation

Included as a restored medieval church with unusual bellcote and C18 memorials.