Church of St David, Llanfaes

Cadw's description

Location

On corner with Bailihelig Road. In churchyard with late C18 and early C19 gravestones

History

Built in 1859 to the design of Mr John Clayton, architect, and enlarged in 1923-5. Replaced earlier church on site, and the churchyard retains late C18 and early C19 gravestones. Llanfaes a separate parish from Brecon town, and the historian Dr Theophilus Jones was vicar here.

Exterior

Grey-brown stone with bathstone dressings. West tower with small spire, nave, aisles, N porch, N chapel and organ loft; vestry or former school on S side of tower. The 1859 fabric in decorated style; early C20 work generally Perpendicular style. Stone spire with banding. Crenellated tower with paired lights to bell-stage; diagonal buttresses; W doorway with small window above. Four-bay nave with 3-light Perpendicular clerestorey windows; 2-light Decorated aisle windows; gabled porch with angle buttresses. To left (W), 2-storey block with 2-light Decorated window over lancets; polygonal stair turret. Five-light E window with curvilinear tracery. On S side of tower, 2-storey, 3-window vestry block; slate roof with chimney to R; windows with shouldered heads. On first floor, a single-light window to L, and two-2-light windows. On ground floor, doorway to L, and 2 windows as above. To N side of chancel, two 3-light Perpendicular windows; lower vestry block has windows with cusped lights.

Interior

Four-bay nave arcades of broad pointed arches springing directly from polygonal piers, open timber roof. Chancel with marble floor and with organ loft to N; C20 choir stalls. Rood beam with vine foliage and Crucifixion flanked by Virgin and SDt john. Against the NE wall of the tower there is a late C18 memorial tablet to Elinor Jones, "Eldest daughter of Theopilus Evans later Vicar of this Parish and of Llangamarch", and to other members of the Jones family.

Reason for designation

Strongly-designed church on historic site.