Parish Church of St Dubritius

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the centre of Llanvaches village, surrounded by a low rubble wall with cock and hen coping and stone stile to S side.

History

Dedicated to St Dubritius, the C6 saint. Church consists of nave, chancel, west tower with saddleback roof and south porch. Heavily restored in 1850 in Early English style when the chancel was partially rebuilt and again in 1908 when the nave was re-roofed, refenestrated and internal fittings replaced. The tower retains medieval work, ? C14. William Wroth, the first non-conformist minister in Wales, was Rector at Llanvaches between 1611-1638 when he was expelled from the church. The following year he established the first Independent church in Wales at Llanvaches. (see Tabernacle Chapel - separate entry).

Exterior

Random, local pink sandstone rubble elevations with slab stone roof to nave and tower and S porch. Chancel steps down from the nave and is slated. All windows referred to date from the later C19 and early C20 restorations unless otherwise specified. The E window is composed of three cusped lancets with stained glass; the central window steps up, set beneath a relieving arch. To either side are pairs of staged buttresses which return on the N and S sides of the nave. Celtic stone cross finials to E gable end of chancel and nave. Chancel is lit on the N side by a pair of small cusped lancets, with sandstone dressings. The N elevation of the nave has an early C13(?), plain round-headed doorway with dressed quoins to the jambs and diagonal stops, now blocked. On left hand side is another stained glass C19 lancet with cusped head and ferramenta, to the right hand side are two matching C19 lancets, all with stained glass, ferramenta and sandstone dressings. The W tower is low and squat with slight batter and stringcourse running immediately above it. Unlit on N, S and E faces, formerly with single small rectangular windows with chamfered jambs under the eaves to all faces except the S face which has two openings, all now blocked. The W face has a two-centred doorway with relieving arch over, chamfered jambs with diagonal stops. Set above the doorway is a two-light, C19 stained glass window with quatrefoil to the head beneath a hoodmould. Two small square-headed openings above with small central mullion blocked except for ventilation holes matched on the E face. Notably massive long and short work to the ground floor of the tower. Stair tower abuts the tower and nave on S side, probably dating from the C15, slated lean-to-roof with two small stairlights. S porch is probably C16 with original 'A' frame roof and has round-headed doorway with original jambs and replacement head, with modern outer gates, round-headed inner doorway with Elizabethan oak door, ribbed and studded with arched head of carved, fanned quills. Fragment of medieval grave slab located on the E side, discovered during 1908 restoration, three C18 gravestones mounted beneath, C13 (?) water stoup located to right hand side of the door. Cusped lancet to left hand side of porch. To the right hand side of the porch is a wide, squat lancet with an early trefoil-headed lancet to light rood loft, now lost. Chancel is lit on the S side by a small pair of later lancets with later small timber priests door beneath hoodmould with relieving arch over.

Interior

Chancel arch is wide, acutely pointed with a secondary arch springing from the jambs, matching in style that of the tower arch. It appears to have been rebuilt, probably in the C19. The tower arch is C14, two- centred and of two orders. The nave has a C20 'A' framed raftered roof with two chamfered tie-beams, decorated in black and white paintwork, carried on stone corbels. The chancel roof is also C19 consisting of a smaller 'A' frame roof, carried set on matching, smaller corbels. At the W end is a C14 font, octagonal bowl set on a square base. Inside the tower is a copy of the will of William Wroth, rector during the 1630's, ejected in 1638 and founder of the first non-conformist congregation in Wales.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II as a parish church with some surviving medieval fabric and important historical associations relating to the early non-conformist movement in Wales.