Church of St Peter and St Illtyd

Cadw's description

Location

Situated down lane running S from A40, just E of Peterstone Court.

History

Anglican parish church, medieval origins, mostly rebuilt, apart from the tower, in 1887 by S. W. Williams of Rhayader. The tower is late medieval as also doorway into the N porch. The church is said to have been rebuilt in 1804 when a S aisle was removed. The Moridic stone was built into the ruins of the medieval rectory in 1852. A fine C14 effigy of a female has C17 lettering identifying her as Jane wife of Sir Humphrey Stanley, daughter of William Walbeoffe of Llanhamlach, but the genealogy is suspect. There is said to be a block of stone low on W face of the tower with pre-Norman decoration, not seen at resurvey.

Exterior

Anglican parish church. W tower, nave and chancel under single roof, and N porch. Rubble stone with stone-tiled roofs. W tower has chamfered plinth, string course just above, two chamfered loops and a flat-headed traceried two-light bell-opening each side, moulded string course with two stone rainwater spouts each side and embattled parapet with moulded copings. Tower N has third loop under bell-light.
Nave and chancel have late Gothic style 3-light traceried windows with flat heads, ogee headed lights and quatrefoils above, and deep hoodmoulds, in red sandstone, all of 1887. Three windows on N side with two-step buttress marking nave-chancel division and N porch to right. Buttress has rock-faced quoins. Porch is rebuilt in 1887 reusing medieval plain pointed chamfered arch. C19 double full-height iron gates. 1887 red stone doorway within, moulded pointed with hoodmould and carved head stops. Resited carved grave slabs each side, some with C17 dates including Elizabeth Awbrey died 1664. .
E end has pointed late Gothic style red stone window with hoodmould and carved head stops. S side is similar to N, without the porch, and with a tall battered-sided chimney on wallface above the buttress.

Interior

Whitewashed walls, open roofs of four arch-braced collar trusses with high brattished collars, on hammerbeams braced from carved stone corbels. red sandstone splayed segmental-pointed window reveals. Plain low Tudor-arched W door to tower. Red sandstone pointed chancel arch with double chamfered arch, the inner order carried on triple-shafted short columns on corbels. Marble shafts, carved head corbels. Hoodmould with king and bishop head stops. One step to chancel, one to sanctuary. Red sandstone low tomb recess on N side over C14 effigy. Ogee piscina on S with hoodmould.
Fittings: octagonal retooled late medieval font, the underside convex curved to coved moulding on top of octagonal shaft. Font cover inscribed as given by Stephen W. Williams FRIBA Architect 1887. Three-sided timber pulpit, panelled with blind tracery, on ashlar 3-sided plinth with moulded base and cornice, and 3 stone steps. Altar rails on twisted brass standards. Oak altar and reredos, early C20, Gothic, with ogee-headed centre panel with painted Christ and lamb, flanked by sides with cresting, each with a painted kneeling angel flanked by narrow panels with painted lilies. Carved vine-trail upper and outer borders. Oak stalls with poppyhead finials, pierced Gothic panels to front kneelers, and similar poppy-heads to reading-desk kneeler. Pine pews with shaped bench-ends.
Memorials : Early medieval inscribed stone with a cross flanked by two crude figures, one larger than the other, with upraised hands. One edge is inscribed 'iohannis/ moridic surexit hunc lapidem'. Thought to be C10-11. Fine carved C14 effigy of a woman in N tomb recess, with C17 inscription identifying her as Lady Jane Stanley. White marble plaque on grey to John Powell of Peterstone court, died 1769, his wife died 1801 and T. H. Powell, barrister, died 1822. Marble plaque with coat of arms to the Rev Thomas Powell of Peterstone Court, rector of Llanhamlach, JP, 1755-1832.
Wall-paintings: two sets of three late C19 angels on E wall.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as a parish church of medieval origins with surviving medieval tower, carved stone C14 effigy, and pre-Norman carved stone.