Church of St Stephen (also known as Steffan and Istyffan)

Cadw's description

Location

Located near the crest of the hill, with extensive views SE over the valley of the Wye, and is set towards the N end of its large ovoid churchyard.

History

The parish church for Llanstephan comprises a C12-C13 nave with west tower, and a C14 chancel. The building was extensively restored and reseated by Thomas Nicholson of Hereford in 1867-9 (or 1876), the work including complete remodelling of the large C15 S porch. A very fine carved oak screen with rood loft, extant in 1818, is no longer present.

Exterior

Built of rubble local stone with stone slated roof. Nave of 3-4 bays, with 2 windows with trefoiled lights and diamond head on the S, without hood mouldings. Blocked high level window W of porch. Similar windows on N, restored in C19. Porch is of 2 bays, squared snecked rock-faced rubble. Three steps, and outer chamfered arch, the interior flagged, with side benches. Two-centred chamfered C13 door into the church. Chancel has 3-light E window, ogee panelled tracery of c.1430-50. Twin trefoil-headed lights in N wall, replicated in C19 rebuild of the S wall, which also has a priest's door. Sturdy W tower of 2 stages, with a further half-stage at the top carrying the pyramidal stone-slated roof. Walls slightly battered and string courses at the offsets. Small square openings and a blocked door on the S side.

In the corner of the churchyard between a pedestrian gate and the holy spring, a sundial with a monolithic limestone shaft with stopped corner chamfers and ovolo moulded cap, all probably C19, carrying a brass dial inscribed LLANSTEPHAN RADNORSHIRE 1795, made by Hart (Harl?) of Birmingham]

Interior

Nave roof C19, 9 arch-braced collar trusses with brattished wall cornice. Floor tiled. Walls unplastered. Internal rere-arches to chancel windows and C19 chancel arch. Chancel raised 2 steps; also tiled and unplastered, with restored C17 wagon roof, the purlins chamfered, the two end bays square-panelled with diagonal boarding over the ribs. Sill of the S chancel window lowered as a seat. Altar raised on 3 spaced steps. Stone corbel brackets either side. In the nave, beside the S door, a small monolithic headed stoup. Tower arch C19, but round chamfered arch internally indicating an early C13 date. Bellchamber floor carried on 5 heavy cross beams bearing on end beams supported off braced posts on both N and S sides, the N cross braced and built into the masonry, suggesting alterations. Pyramidal roof of probably C17 construction.

Fittings: Pulpit C19: limestone octagonal bowl set on 4 steps. Each face has open arches. Unfixed iron lectern. Sanctuary rail on curled iron stanchions. Font, at W end of nave; an octagonal bowl, probably C14, raised in C19 on an octagonal pillar and base. Bellframe probably C17, cross braced, carrying 4 bells, three dated 1616, 1675, and 1754. Pews and chancel fittings all C19, but panelled C17 chest under tower.

Monuments: Nave, N wall: Gothic limestone aedicule on black backboard, to Thomas Powell of Great House,†1835 and wife †1857. On S side: Gothic gabled limestone wall monument on black slate by Phillips of Talgarth, to David Powell of the Oaklands, Glasbury and Great House †1876, and wife. Chancel N wall: Chaste white marble tablet on grey, flower in tympanum, to David J Harmer †1844. Also a good reproduction on panel of Gentile da Fabriano's Adoration retable, complete with triple floriated gabled frame and vignettes in the predella, given by Revd. Morgan, vicar, in memory of his son killed in the Great War.

Reason for designation

Included as an interesting church preserving some medieval and later work in a magnificent setting.