Church of St Cenau, Llangenny

Cadw's description

Location

On E side of a minor road through Llangenny, and W side of Afon Grwyne, in a walled churchyard.

History

Of the original Norman church only the font survives. The early medieval church consisted of a nave and chancel to which a S aisle and chapel were added early C15. The church was remodelled late C15 or early C16, when the aisle and chapel became nave and chancel and vice versa. The church was restored by Charles Buckeridge in 1863, and again in 1894.

Exterior

Perpendicular style church consisting of nave and chancel under a single roof, with S porch, N aisle and chapel (the N aisle and chapel are wider and were the original nave and chancel). Rubble stone walls are battered at the base, have big quoins in the nave and chancel, and coped gables. Plain tile roofs. The windows all have hood moulds. Porch is offset to L in S nave wall and has an almost round-headed S doorway with continuous moulding. R of porch is a large 4-light window, with smaller 2-light window further R, in between which is a small segmental-pointed window added to light the rood loft but now blocked and with iron bars. The chancel has a 3-light S window and priest's doorway to its L, with Tudor head and continuous stop-chamfer surround, and a boarded and ribbed door with iron studs. The chancel has a 3-light early Perpendicular E window, while the chapel has a lower 3-light Tudor E window. In the N wall is a 2-light C19 window L of C19 vestry. The N aisle is higher than chapel and has in N wall a 3-light window flanked by small 1-light windows, all renewed C19. At W end of N aisle is a C19 gabled bellcote in ashlar with a cross on the ridge. Two bells are housed in chamfered openings with 2-centre heads. The nave has a C19 2-light geometrical W window.

Interior

The porch has a ceiled wagon roof with moulded ribs. In the E and W walls are bench seats in stone. The S doorway has a Tudor head with continuous stop-chamfer moulding and a door partly renewed but retaining original studs and strap hinges. The nave arcade is 3-bay and has octagonal piers (one of the piers is monolithic) on square bases with broach stops, moulded capitals and 2-centre arches with 2 orders of chamfers. The chancel has a similar 2-bay arcade. The nave and chancel have a ceiled wagon roof with moulded cornice. The N aisle roof has exposed tie beams between later plaster infill, the N chapel has a cambered ceiling of plaster with moulded ribs. Between aisle and chapel is a plain plastered 2-centre arch (the original chancel arch) flanked by small squints. Patterned tile floor at W end of nave and aisle and in sanctuary (raised in C19 restoration).

Round Norman font with cable moulding around the rim stands on C19 pedestal and base. C19 pulpit has blind geometric tracery. In the chancel is the ogee head of a former piscina. A reredos in ashlar is of 4 bays with blind cinquefoil arches on marble shafts except in centre where there is a foliage corbel with gold leaf. Texts of Creed, Lord's prayer and 10 Commandments are painted on cream panels. A cornice above has foliage decoration. From the chancel a short screen to chapel has a doorway with 2-centre head and pierced tracery panels above a planked dado. The S door in the chancel has Gothic vertical panelling.

In E wall of N aisle a tablet to Lewis Morgan (d. 1688) has an open pediment and an achievement with a family coat of arms and a nag's head crest. In chancel S wall is an inscription on lead to John Morgan (d. 1675) taken from a vault beneath the chapel and fixed to wall. In the N wall of N aisle are 2 oval tablets to Charles Herbert (d. 1796) and Mary Phillips (d. 1806), the latter made by Jones of Llangynidr. Numerous other C19 and early C20 wall tablets. In the N chapel are grave slabs set into the floor, including Thomas Morgan (d. 1704). Commemorative glass in nave and chancel windows.

Reason for designation

Listed Grade II* as a late medieval church retaining good original detail.