Church of St Padarn

Cadw's description

Location

Set back in a churchyard on the W side of the A483, approximately 0.5km S of the village centre.

History

A medieval church, the earliest mention of which is in 1513. It was substantially rebuilt in 1893-4 by S.W. Williams, architect, who replaced earlier windows and added the porch and bellcote, but retained some of the late medieval roof.

Exterior

A small Decorated-style parish church comprising nave and chancel under a single roof, with bellcote and S porch, of rubble stone and tile roof. The S porch has coped gables on moulded kneelers with trefoiled gablets, and a hollow-chamfered 2-centred doorway. Windows all have hood moulds, and are of 1894, except the restored NW window. The nave has two 2-light S windows, a buttress at the E end, and a single-light chancel window. The chancel has a 3-light E window. N windows are similar to the S. The nave has a 3-light Perpendicular W window. The square wooden bellcote has cusped arcading below taller trefoiled bell openings with louvres, and pyramidal metal roof.

Interior

Nave and chancel are under a restored late medieval roof. The nave is 5 bays. All except one truss stand on polygonal corbels and have cusping to diagonal struts beneath the apex. The other truss has a moulded tie beam. The bay at the W end has 2 plainer arched braces inserted in 1894 to carry the bellcote. The chancel has a 4-bay roof. The 2 easternmost trusses stand on a moulded cornice, while the other 2 are on corbels. The easternmost pair of the corbels has relief decoration, and are probably the 'stone brackets or corbels' mentioned in 1874 as having been intended to carry images. They were therefore re-set in the roof in 1894. In the chancel is a simple arched piscina in the S wall, probably of 1894, and arcaded wooden reredos. Part of the medieval rood loft bressumer spans the interior between nave and chancel, with vine-trail and water-plant decoration.

The crudely carved octagonal font stands on a pedestal with broach stops and is C14 or C15. C19 pews have moulded ends. The pulpit, of re-used C18 panels, is polygonal on a broad pedestal with decorated panels. The early Georgian communion rail has thick turned balusters, moulded handrail, and square posts, one of which is inscribed 'IG 1716' in raised letters and numerals.

In the nave N wall is memorial to Valentine Thickins (d 1818) by B. Davies of Clun, comprising a slate inscription tablet with painted freestone apron and pediment. In the nave S wall is memorial to George Oliver (d 183[6?]), a table tomb in painted freestone. An inscription panel is flanked by splayed pilasters and surmounted by a pediment with lozenge panel decorated with low-relief flowers and shells, and a corbel for a finial. The chancel N wall has a memorial to Rev Thomas Jenkins (d 1929), by W.A. Morris of Swansea. A marble scroll with inscription is on a polished black slate background.

The E windows shows Christ with communion chalice at the Last Supper, dated 1979 by Celtic Studios of Swansea.

Reason for designation

Listed for its architectural interest as a small C19 parish church notable for its interior detail of medieval and later periods.