Church of St Mary

Cadw's description

Location

In the centre of the small hamlet, on flat low land bordered by a stream to N.

History

Site of Early Christian church to St Cynidr. Dedication changed to St Mary and became chapel of Ease to St John's Priory Brecon in C14. Existing masonry not easily datable but described by Buildings of Wales as C14, windows probably C17 and porch post medieval.

Exterior

A simple low rectangular building with large W porch, small W bellcote, chancel and nave walls continuous but roof of chancel lower. Of stone rubble with a few dressed stone dressings, remains of lime render, banded Welsh slate roof. W porch has round arched doorway with narrow voussoirs, the right jamb a large single stone, similar W doorway to nave with very decorative scroll hinges to boarded door, timber lintel to rear. Two bay porch interior has limewashed walls, side benches, flagged floor, small side lights, the wall to left very thick, to right a deep splay; truss with collar and tie beam, 2 rows of trenched purlins, formerly limewashed. S nave has square headed lights with chamfered surrounds, one single, one double, renewed with wall monument 1728 above; blocked priest's door with stone lintel at E end of nave. Chancel S window is a single trefoil headed light; E window C19 window of 2 lights; N window renewed square headed with 2 lights. N nave has 2 deep full height buttresses. Bellcote is slate clad with pyramidal roof. Lychgate with stone tiled roof; roughly circular churchyard.

Interior

Interior mainly unrestored in C19. Scissor-braced trusses with 5 sided wagon roof to nave, posts on the wallplate supporting the angled ribs. Deep splays to windows; blocked opening over W door. Panelled pews with billet mouldings, planked dados, flagged floor. Font is a plain bowl with a short stem; old wood cover with a circular motif; holy water stoup S of W door; C18 wall monuments including some signed by Powell of Talgarth and Hughes. Sympathetic light oak C20 pulpit, lectern and altar. Chancel has late medieval lower boarded panelled ceiling with reeded ribs, the beams over site of rood retain traces of red paint. Wainscot panelling behind altar dated 1657, with floral motif to rail and panels below. Church is lit with oil lamps.

Reason for designation

Listed II* as a scarce example of a small medieval church unrestored in C19.
Group value with Ty Mawr and Ty Canol.