Church of St Afan

Church of St Afan

The Church of St Afan is a simple lancet-style church comprising a west tower, nave and chancel in a single chamber, and a south porch. It is constructed of rubble stone with slate roofs and timber eaves cornice.

The west tower is unbuttressed with three stages, set on a splayed plinth with string course. The tower has battlemented parapets, also with string course, raised to the northwest angle for a staircase. At ground level on the south side is a single cusped lancet. At mid-level is a narrow rectangular light with a stone tablet below reading 'This steeple was erected ... expense ... Thomas Thomas undertake ... Churchwardens 1765.' Above the light is a stone sun dial. The top stage has an inserted two-light belfry opening with plain lancets under a relieving arch, with similar belfry openings to the west side and a belfry opening only to the north side. There is also a narrow light at mid-level on the west side.

The gabled porch, offset to the left, has a pointed chamfered arch with hoodmould, raised copings and kneelers. Inside the porch, the entrance has a pointed arch with double chamfer and planked double doors. On the east side is a small stoup attached to the wall. Three stones with incised Celtic designs are built into the fabric.

The church walls are fenestrated with cusped lancets, mainly paired, under pronounced hoodmoulds with square stops. To the left of the porch are a pair of lancets, to the right three lancets, then a pair, followed by a single lancet. The east end has a three-light window with stepped lancets and hoodmould. Three grave slabs are fixed to the wall, including one to Thomas Thomas (died 1813) and his wife. Two pairs of lancets are inserted into the north wall, with a butt joint visible on the far left showing where the original nave was extended.

Interior

The church has a nine-bay arch-braced roof with collars, dentilled to the upper sides. The braces are supported on small stone corbels set beneath a panelled, dentilled wall plate. A double arch-brace divides the nave and chancel, with rounded stone corbels on red marble shafts and smaller corbels set beneath. Attached shafts between the east window lights have rounded capitals.

The entrance from the nave to the tower is through a pointed chamfered arched doorway. A wood-panelled pulpit on an octagonal stone base with open trefoil decoration to the panels stands in the nave. A 19th-century octagonal font with incised quatrefoil decoration is located in the southwest corner.

The chancel contains two rows of choir stalls on each side, with open trefoil and quatrefoil decoration. In the north wall towards the left is a low pointed arched opening, now blocked, that formerly held a stove. To the far right of the north wall is a trefoil-headed aumbry. Between the aumbry and the altar is a pillar stone of 7th–9th century date with an incised Celtic cross. A 13th-century font, small and circular on a circular stem, stands to the right of the altar.

The chancel contains numerous wall monuments. On the north wall is an oval stone tablet with decorated surround commemorating Elizabeth, wife of Rees Jones (died 1791). Beside it is a white marble tablet with a heart inscription in a grey stone frame with pilasters supporting a triangular pediment bearing a dove, commemorating John Price (died 1804) of Dol y Felin, his wife and two sons, with an early 20th-century brass plaque to its left for further family members. A stone grave slab with round head bearing three urns beneath the arch commemorates Gwenn, wife of Rees Price of Cwmdulas (died 1783), and their daughter. A simple 20th-century tablet to the far right commemorates the 16th-century biblical translator Thomas Huet. On the south wall are two further tablets to the Price family of Dol y Felin and a 19th-century marble tablet to the Joseph family.