Church of St Twrog

Cadw's description

Location

In a round churchyard in the centre of the village, on the N side of the B4310.

History

Built in 1860 by R. K. Penson, architect of Swansea, on the site of an earlier church.

Exterior

A geometrical style church comprising nave with lower and narrower chancel, N aisle with lower and narrower chapel (also known as the Luxley chapel), and NW tower and spire. Of snecked red sandstone with slate roof behind coped gables on moulded kneelers. The nave is buttressed with diagonal buttress to the SW. It has a 4-light W window with hood mould and head stops. In the S wall is a single cusped light to the L of the porch. The porch has pointed doorway with chamfer dying into the imposts, and a boarded door with strap hinges. To the R of the porch are two 2-light windows. The chancel has a single cusped light L of the gabled vestry. The lower gabled vestry has gablets at the base of the copings and a ridge stack with round shaft. It has a pointed W door with strap hinges, with continuous chamfer to the surround. In the S wall is a 2-light window under a shouldered lintel. To the E of the vestry are paired cusped chancel lights above a lean-to boiler room. The chancel and chapel both have 3-light E windows with hood moulds and head stops, but the chapel window is treated more richly, with sill band and clasping NE buttress. Beneath the chancel window is a blockwork lean-to. Between chancel and chapel is a gabled buttress. Attached to the chapel E wall are tomb railings. The N side is also buttressed, with 3 cusped lights and hood moulds with head stops. Attached to the bay at the W end are railings around the Puxley family vault. The N aisle has two 2-light windows and angle buttresses, of which the NE is gabled.

The 2-stage tower has, in the lower stage, angle buttresses to the NW, and an octagonal SW stair turret. In the W wall is a single cusped window under a trefoil tracery light. The upper stage is stepped in and has shallow clasping buttresses. Bell openings are 2-light, with louvres and with the tracery light infilled, under hood moulds and head stops. The broach stone spire is on a corbel table and has lucarnes in the cardinal directions.

Interior

Nave and aisle both have a 6-bay arched-brace roof on corbels. Between them is a 3-bay arcade with segmental pointed arches and 2 orders of chamfer. The 2-centred chancel arch is on moulded corbels and the chancel has a 4-bay keeled wagon roof on corbels. In the aisle, the segmental pointed tower arch has 4 orders of chamfer. The N chapel is more richly treated. From the aisle its arch is in Decorated style with corbelled shafts to foliage capitals and arch incorporating a ballflower frieze. Inside, it has a roll-moulded sill band, a 2-bay arcade to the chancel similar to the nave arcade, and keeled, boarded 4-bay wagon roof on head corbels. Windows have slender rere arches and hood moulds. The chapel is separated from the aisle by a 5-bay wooden screen with brattishing, and an ironwork screen between chapel and sanctuary.

The octagonal font is on a square stem and ornate base. The polygonal stone pulpit has attached shafts and blind cusped arches. Pews are plain panelled. The communion rail is wooden with arcaded balusters.

The most important monument is a wall tablet in the chapel, to Henry Lavallin Puxley (d 1828), by Tyley of Bristol. It has a marble inscription panel below a draped urn and achievement.

Several windows have stained glass. The E window, c1894, depicts the Blessing of Christ. In the chapel the E window, by Curtis, Ward & Hughes of London, dated 1908, shows the Nativity. The N chapel windows have unsigned figures of St John the Evangelist (post 1903), St Columba (post 1936) and St Catherine. Another mid C20 window, at the E end of the nave, is a depiction of 'Feed my Lambs' in conservative style. Other windows are an eclectic mix of late C20 glass. The W window dominates, showing various images on agricultural, industrial and ecclesiastical themes, set against a blue background, dated 1994 by Janet Hardy. The nave SW window shows Christ walking on water, c1995, then the Tree of Life, by John Petts, dated 1979. In the chancel S wall are 2 window with glass signed 'ED/BE', dated 2000. They show musical instruments and the Last Supper.

Reason for designation

Listed for its architectural interest as a Gothic Revival church of definite character with prominent spire and good interior detail.