Church of Saint Llywel

Location

Situated in Llanllowell village on S side of road to Usk.

History

Heavily restored medieval parish church possibly with C13 origins, mostly rebuilt in 1872 by John Prichard. The S wall probably had rood stairs, now gone.

Exterior

Parish church, rubble stone with stone tiled roofs, coped gables, W bellcote and S porch. Single-cell. W bellcote has 2 Tudor-arched openings, W wall has battered base and gable has tiny arched light of uncertain date, possibly early medieval. South porch is stone-tiled and has depressed arched entry, probably C19, and C19 loop each side. First S window is C19, flat-headed with ogee tracery, similar to originals at Llangeview church, then projection for rood stair with stone coping and small loop, then narrow chancel door, Tudor-arched with stopped chamfered surround. Rebuilt wall to right has another C19 2-light Perpendicular style window in Bath stone. C19 3-light E window of cusped stepped lights. Battered wall base. N wall entirely rebuilt in C19 in rock-faced stone, C19 single light and 2-light flat-headed windows with deep hoodmoulds. One tiny arched light between, possibly early medieval.
In porch are 2 stone seats, damaged stoup on right side, and panel roof of 4x3 panels, some ribs apparently late medieval. Lintel of S door is a medieval inscribed slab with a 6-petal flower in a roundel to right, incised lines running left and fish-scale patterning above.

Interior

Single cell, walls stripped of plaster, panelled barrel roof of 6 x 13 panels, apparently all C19. Window rear arches in ashlar, C19, the tiny single lights on N wall and W wall have rubble stone deep splays, presumably medieval. Chancel S wall steps in, straight to left with window, then door then narrow Tudor-arched door to rood stair. 3 steps with C19 encaustic tiles. C19 screen. Early C20 chancel rails. Round medieval font, much retooled. East window stained glass, the Lamb of God, of c1898, by A.L. Moore of London. W end memorial to A. Waddington of Glen Court, d 1874, Gothic, signed J. Thomas of Newport and N wall to Maria Waddington d 1848, signed Woollcott of Bristol.

Reason for designation

Included as a medieval church, retaining some orginal fabric, though substantially remodelled in the C19.