Church of St Michael

Cadw's description

Location

In a rural location set back from the S side of a country road leading S from the village of Brynrefail towards Mynydd Bodafon; located S of the junction with another country road leading W.

History

The earliest dateable features, the chancel arch and E window, date to c1400, but the fabric may be earlier. The church was restored by Henry Kennedy in 1865, when the N porch and vestry were added and new windows installed.

Exterior

Simple rural church comprising nave and chancel, the nave has a steep W bellcote; C19 gabled porch with steeply-pitched low-swept roof and simple chamfered outer archway, and mullioned light in the E wall. One and two light windows to the N, 2 x 2-light windows to S, all C19 interpretations of the Perpendicular, with flat heads.

The chancel roof continues over lean-to vestry to NE: this has a prominent chimney with offsets and moulded cap. Two-light windows to N and S, similar to those of the nave. The E window is of c1400 date; 2 cinquefoil headed lights with a quatrefoil in a pointed arched frame under moulded label with scroll terminals.

Interior

The nave has a repaired N doorway of early Perpendicular character, probably early C15, a pointed arch with chamfered jambs. The 4-bay roof retains late Medieval chamfered collared trusses (repaired), on wall posts down to plain corbels. The chancel has a similar roof of 9 closely spaced trusses.

The chancel arch is of c1400 with chamfered responds and pointed arch of 2 hollow-chamfered orders which spring from the faces of the responds. There is an inscribed stone, c550, set in S wall of the chancel, the inscription in Roman capitals reads: HIC IACIT / MACCVDECCETI (D reversed).

The font is an octagonal gritstone bowl with chamfered base and top; probably a reshaped bowl and there is a simple gritstone water stoup set into the N wall of the nave.

The internal arrangement otherwise owes its character to Kennedy's restoration, including shallow step to chancel and a further defining the sanctuary; this distinguished by encaustic floor tiles and given simple communion rail with twisted stanchions to floriate brackets. The pulpit and simple benches are also contemporary.

To the L of the E window is a marble memorial to Florance George Henry Irby d1877, and to the R is a slate memorial to Griffith Edwards of Bodafon Lys d1795, and his wife Elizabeth d1802. On the S wall of the nave is an unusually styled black marble memorial to Margaret, wife of Morris Pritchard Morris d1732.

Reason for designation

Listed as a medieval church retaining early fabric; well-restored by Henry Kennedy, keeping its simple rural character.