Lychgate, churchyard walls and railings to Church of Saint Basil

Cadw's description

Location

On the S and E side of the churchyard of the Church of Saint Basil, the lych gate in the SW corner.

History

Lychgate of 1926, built as First World War Memorial, architect unknown, with carved figure signed by Gilbert Bayes. Churchyard walls and railings possibly of the restoration of 1902-3 by C. Busteed Fowler.

Exterior

Lychgate, oak timber frame on base walls of purple squared stone, with grey sandstone dressings, and plain-tile roof with terracotta ridge tiles. Two walls have dressings to ends and chamfered copings carrying oak superstructure. Moulded bargeboards on shaped brackets. Deep-arched trusses to front and rear with high brattished collars, front has also a lower applied collar incised 'They were as a wall unto us both by night and day' and fine oak-leaf and laurel pierced carving in space above lower collar each side of cast metal standing figure of St George on gold and red mosaic background, flanked by slim piers. Statue and background rise into gable with upper collar behind. Affixed to front piers are bronze panels with names of fallen of 1914-18 and 1939-45 flanked by carved scrolls. Double oak gates with arch-bracing and iron scrolls in top panels. Rear is similar to front without statue. Inner scissor-rafter roof. Sides have 4-bay square framing with cusped panels carrying wall-plate extended out to carry front bargeboards.
Stone wall to left with gabled coping, stepped up to join tower attached to Tredegar Arms inn (listed separately). Serpentine curved wall to right with similar coping. Main churchyard wall has roll-topped sandstone ashlar copings stepped downhill with iron railings, in sections divided by broad piers with sandstone ashlar quoins and matching gabled copings. Rails have spearheads, fleur-de-lys finials and wrought iron trefoils and quatrefoils. Retaining wall with railings and intermittent piers extends down S side of churchyard and around SE corner, then returns slightly simplified up E side, with railings on coped wall without piers. Pair of big gates with matching ironwork between similar gatepiers in centre of E side, wall and railings continuing to right to stop against a rubble wall at churchyard NE corner.

Reason for designation

Included as well-made early C20 oak lychgate with carved figure by a leading C20 sculptor, and churchyard walls and railings of group value with the church.