Church of Saint David

Church of Saint David

This is a parish church built of grey rubble stone with slate roofs. It comprises a west tower, nave and chancel under a single roof, with a south porch.

The tower is quite plain with a battered base, said to date to the 17th century although evidence is lacking. It has a slate pyramid roof with deep eaves. Small arched louvred Bath stone bell-lights are positioned on each side, with the east one set just north of the nave ridge. Stone-louvred narrow loops appear at mid-height on each side, and a 19th-century sandstone-framed loop is located at ground floor level on the west. A small ashlar 19th-century two-light window appears on the south at ground floor with slight ogee points to each flat head. A small lean-to boiler chamber is attached to the north.

The main body of the church has a roof banded in two colours of slate. The south wall is mostly of coursed squared 19th-century stonework and features a 19th-century gabled porch to the left with squared stone, a chamfered round arched entry and plain bargeboards. An iron lamp bracket with lamp is mounted on the porch. The stone-flagged porch interior has plastered walls and a 19th-century four-sided rafter roof. A 19th-century pointed south door is present. A medieval four-lobed stoup with rounded rim and front projecting lobe sits on the east wall, possibly dating to the 12th or 13th century. Two grey stone flat-headed two-light windows with cusped heads to the lights, apparently 19th-century, are visible. Shallow buttresses appear on each side of the nave up to the eaves, with one showing a slight offset. The chancel south has a single grey stone cusped lancet. The east end has plain bargeboards and a segmental-pointed Perpendicular style three-light window with 19th-century tracery, the surround incorporating some old stones, possibly 15th-century.

The north side has a similar 19th-century chancel lancet and similar nave buttresses. Three similar but each slightly different flat-headed 15th-century two-light windows are present. The wall is presumably early 19th-century, replacing a former north aisle, with north aisle windows reset. Stones retain remnants of limewash.

The interior is a single chamber with a 19th-century four-sided scissor-rafter roof, plastered walls and stone flagged floors. The space is broad with a small pointed west tower door. The tower contains a 19th-century high ceiling and a painted board recording rebuilding in 1833–34. The north wall features a late medieval arcade of three broad four-centred double-chamfered arches on octagonal 15th-century columns. The third arch is cruder in detail. A high step leads to the stone-flagged chancel with grave slabs dated 1725 and possibly 1829. One step ascends to the sanctuary with encaustic tiles.

Fittings include a late medieval octagonal grey stone font tapered below to a new shaft on an old square base with humbed broaches to the diagonal angles of the shaft. 19th-century pews and stalls are present. A late 19th-century ashlar octagonal pulpit displays Alpha, IHS and Omega motifs. A timber chancel low screen of 1912 by Dumaresq Thomas JP features Gothic design with open traceried upper panels and blind tracery below. Timber altar rails on two pairs of posts date to the early 20th century.

Memorials include: on the west wall, a plaque to Richard Watkins by Hughes of Llanfilo (late 18th century); a plaque to Isabel Thomas of Glandwr (died 1808) by Games; a marble plaque with sunburst to Thomas Davies (died 1832) by J. Thomas of Brecon; a purple stone plaque to Mary Price of Llechach village (died 1835) by D. Morgan, an oval plaque with leaves in spandrels. On the south wall: a painted stone plaque to John Williams of Drainduon (died 1806) by Hughes, oval with urn and scrolls; a plaque to Mary Williams of Drainduon (died 1849) by JHG of Felinfach; a plaque to Thomas Jones of Peytongwyn (died 1808) by Hughes of Felinfach with low relief carving; a triple memorial to John Jones of Pytingwyn (died 1835), David Jones, saddler (died 1845) and Jane Powel of Glandwr (died 1845) by S.M. of Sarnau; a double plaque with urn to Ann Powell of Danyreglwys (died 1788), Jennet Powell (died 1802) and William Powell (died 1810), and on the right, John Powell of Glandwr (died 1826), William Powell of Danyreglwys (died 1829) and Mary Powell (died 1834), signed D.M.