Church of St Mary

Church of St Mary

Church built of rubble stone with stone tiled roofs, comprising a nave and chancel under one roof measuring 56 feet by 23 feet, with a south porch and a large four-stage west tower. The tower features a northeast stair tower, high plinth, moulded course above the first stage, bull-nosed mouldings above the next two stages, two-light bell-lights, and another bull-nosed course beneath an embattled parapet. The northeast stair tower has slightly higher battlements. A small rectangular light opens to the south on the ground floor.

The nave has a south porch to its left and rubble stone side walls. The roof is supported by 15th-century oak trusses with quatrefoil and trefoil cusping. The front truss has arch-bracing below the tie-beam; the back truss lacks this bracing; the truss between has an arch-braced collar and trefoil to the apex. Two tiers of foiled wind-braces brace the roof structure. A rough red stone stoup stands on the left side with a shelf on the right. A pointed south door gives entry. To the right is a large Perpendicular-style two-light flat-headed window, apparently entirely 19th-century. A central blocked chamfered pointed priest's door follows, then the end of a tie beam which pierces the wall both north and south, and another similar two-light Perpendicular-style window.

The east window is 15th-century, segmental pointed, with three lights and ogee tracery. Four memorials are affixed to the east wall. The chancel north side has two lancets with red stone heads, possibly medieval, though the rest has been renewed. The nave north wall has one hollow-chamfer lancet, also possibly medieval.

The interior is plastered with a three-sided plastered ceiling. Around 1906, the ceiling was raised at the west end to expose the tower's first-floor opening, which was converted into a musicians' gallery with early 18th-century-style timber balcony on console brackets. A broad chamfered depressed arch frames this opening. Below stands a low, broad, chamfered Tudor arch at the tower arch. A chamfered segmental-pointed doorway to the right opens to the tower stair. The tower has a plastered vault. The tower base was subdivided around 1906 by a wall creating a vestry, which has an oval light with stone voussoirs above a segmental-pointed door. In the nave, a small northwest fireplace dates to around 1906. Cambered arches with stone voussoirs frame the south windows and south door; a pointed arch frames the priest's door. A large tie-beam truss with collar at ceiling level and zig-zag bracing between may be a remnant of a lost rood screen and now delineates the chancel.

The font is 14th to 15th-century, octagonal with chamfered base, on a broader round shaft with a 19th-century plinth. A 19th-century pitch-pine pulpit stands in the nave. The altar rails are attractive timber-latticed work, possibly dating to around 1906.

The church contains numerous memorials. A fine floor slab before the altar commemorates William ap David Lloyd ap Thomas (died 1607). On the chancel south wall, an armorial slab honours Lewis Lloyd (died 1649) and Margaret Lloyd (died 1680); a floor slab commemorates Richard Cardwell, "geographer and land-surveyor" (died 1774). A notable series of late 18th to early 19th-century painted carved plaques by local craftsmen adorns the walls.

On the south wall: William Price of Pantyneuadd (died 1809), by Hughes; Thomas Prosser of Bailie (died 1808); Ann Kingsey of Pencraig (died 1818); Matthew Kinsey of Caeau (died 1829), by J. Morgan; John Kinsey of Pencraig (died 1795); Thomas Prichard of Rhiwe Llandevalle (died 1826), by Hughes.

At the west end: William Williams of Penyrwrlodd (died 1779); Ann Lewis of Pentremole (died 1795); Elizabeth Davis of Penyrwrlodd (died 1797), by James; Humphrey Price of Pantyneuadd (died 1785), by James.

On the north wall: Thomas Davis, surgeon (died 1806), by Hughes; Hugh Williams of Lwinpoll (died 1805); Phoebe Jones (died 1794), by Hughes; Jeremiah Kinsey of Pantygoli (died 1786), by Games; David Morgan of Pentremol (died 1788), with two rustic angels; Richard Pritchard of Rhiwe (died 1780), with two cherub heads; Margaret Price (died 1820), oval with painted marbling, by Thomas of Brecon.

The vestry contains a painted benefaction board dating to 1830.