Church of St Michael the Archangel

Cadw's description

Location

In the centre of Flemingston village.

History

Perhaps C13 in origin, and much of the core walling is medieval, but with much rebuilding and refacing in the Victorian restoration of 1858 which, on stylistic grounds, was probably undertaken by John Prichard, the diocesan architect. The south chapel was built as a funerary chapel for the Fleming family in the early C14. All the external features are Victorian, except possibly the south chapel gable window, as are the internal fittings and furniture, but the timber roofs are C15. The bells date from 1858.

Exterior

Built of local lias limestone rubble with dressed ashlar quoins and features, and Welsh slate roofs. Nave with bellcote, chancel, south porch and south chapel (now vestry). Much of the exterior is Victorian in character and the west gable wall seemingly wholly so. This has buttresses with offsets, two lancets with cusped heads and dripmoulds below a quatrefoil. Coped gable rises to double gabled bellcote with both gables carrying crosses. The south nave wall has a lancet and a plain gabled porch. The south chapel has a lancet on either wall and a 3-light Decorated window in the gable. The chancel, which is slightly lower than the coped east gable of the nave, has a pointed arch priest's door flanked by lancets on the south wall, a 2-light Decorated window with cusped lights and a wheel head in the coped east gable and a blind north wall with attached Victorian chimney. The nave north wall has an offset buttress at the east end as before and two paired lancets.

Interior

The interior is plastered and painted except for the revealed stone features. The chancel arch and south chapel arches are a Victorian rebuild. Three bay roof to nave, C15 with Victorian repair and boarding, arched braced collar trusses with three tiers of curved windbraces. The bay which was above the Rood screen is ceiled. Collar purlin with carved bosses. Similar two bay chancel roof, all open. The furniture is all Victorian. The font is a square late C13 one on a circular stem. Windows by Clayton and Bell. Fine early C14 monument in a colonnetted niche in the south chapel to Joan le Fleming. Monument to Edward Williams (Iolo Morganwg, stonemason, bard and antiquary, died 1826) erected in 1858. The chapel interior was not seen at resurvey.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a medieval church which, despite a heavy Victorian restoration, survives with good character and a fine roof.