Eglwys Newydd Church

Eglwys Newydd Church

This is a Grade II* Anglican parish church built of rubble stone with slate roofs. It comprises a west tower, nave and canted apse under a single roof, lower transepts, and a flat-roofed northeast vestry.

The west tower is thinly detailed with a later 19th-century ashlar pointed west door topped by an ashlar trefoiled roundel with stone voussoirs. Above this is a blocked pointed opening with stone voussoirs dating from 1803, followed by a bell-light of 1887 that infills the 1803 bell opening. The infill is ashlar with long square-headed louvred lights and a blind foiled roundel in the head, showing stone voussoirs from the 1803 opening. The top stage has square panels with stone voussoirs and slate sills; the western one contains a wooden louvred opening of three pointed lights. A quarter-round string course runs beneath a stepped embattled parapet. Clasping thin buttresses rise to grey-stone steep-gabled caps at the level of the sill of the square openings. Originally these gabled caps did not exist; this level marked the top of the parapet of the 1803 church. The west buttresses are fully visible with a moulded plinth and two shallow set-offs, while the northeast and southeast corner buttresses are visible only at the top, being masked by the nave roof. On the north and south sides are shallow two-storey windowless projections with a string course beneath a flat parapet and diagonal buttresses at the northwest and southwest corners, similar to those at the tower angles but with only one set-off and a top cross-gabled cap at the level of the second set-off of the clasping buttresses. The parapet is matched and was level with the parapets of the 1803 church.

The body of the church has a broad main roof with flat eaves carried on large quarter-round corbels and a moulded plinth. The transepts have lower ridges and eaves with similar corbels. The corbels at the angles of the nave and transepts are ashlar, possibly of 1887. The nave and transepts have diagonal buttresses with ashlar chamfered tops. The nave south side has one 1887 two-light window on each side of the transept with ashlar tracery and stone voussoirs. The south transept has a similar ashlar large three-light window. The nave north side has one similar two-light window to the right of the north transept, which has an ashlar cinquefoil rose window of 1887. A large flat-roofed vestry is attached to the east side of the north transept, with an ashlar string course and parapet coping but no plinth. The west door has a Caernarfon arch, as do the lights of a two-light east window set to the left. Two plain two-light windows face north.

The apse has similar corbelled eaves. The two canted sides have 1887 ashlar traceried single lights with sill courses. Buttresses of squared stone with slate set-off and sloping cap appear on each side. The broad east bay has a sill course, higher than those on each side, and a large traceried pointed three-light window breaking the eaves beneath a coped shouldered gable, with stone voussoirs.

Attached slate plaques on the south wall commemorate Richard Valantin of Pantydail (died 1828), Mary Jones of Tyllwyd (died 1829), and Ann Thomas of Pentre Briwnant (died 1845).

Interior

The tower base has a wooden ceiling and an opening to a single bell hanging at the level of the lower bell-lights. An ashlar 1887 segmental pointed doorway to the nave has pointed double doors with wrought iron hinges on the nave side. The plastered interior features a 1933 single fine panelled barrel roof. Four tie-beam trusses with octagonal king-posts carry arched braces on four sides, with tie-beams on arched braces springing from stone corbels. Brattishing decorates the tie-beams and wall-plates. The roof has twelve panels to each bay, with the end bay curved over the canted apse.

The short transepts have moulded ashlar pointed arches and panelled roofs, with no chancel arch. One step leads to the chancel with ashlar paving. A moulded segmental arch opens to a north organ chamber, now infilled with boarding, and a moulded cambered-arched doorway leads to the vestry with a 1933 oak door with studs and wrought iron hinges. One step rises to the sanctuary. The canted apse has a moulded panelled ceiling matching the main body of the church, but with carved rosettes and four leaves at each intersection. A gable over the east window carries similar detail.

Fittings and Memorials

The font dates from 1792 and is made of Coade stone in 15th-century style with an octagonal bowl featuring square panels to the sides, each with a rosette in a quatrefoil. A moulding beneath bears eight finely cast winged cherub heads. The shaft has thin angle buttresses framing tiny niches containing damaged tiny classical figures, each identified in incised letters: Temperance, Faith, Prudence, and others. In the tower are 19th-century slate panels inscribed with the Ten Commandments, Creed, and Lord's Prayer.

The remaining fittings are by Caroe in pale oak, of high quality with delicate late Gothic to 17th-century style carved detail. The nave pews have square brattished bench ends. A north transept war memorial screen consists of nine bays with delicate pierced tracery over leaded lights and carved inscription panels. The lectern has a double book-rest top on a fluted square pillar. A kneeler stands in front of the chancel. The octagonal pulpit is carved with blind tracery on long panels and rosettes down moulded angles, with a base that tapers inward. Stalls in two rows occupy each side, with a front kneeler. The carved bench ends feature opposed scrolls and finials, with finely carved panels showing shields and emblems of the Passion and other subjects. The frontal has panels divided by piers with delicately carved interlace and rosettes. The first stall has open upper panels with stepped heads and a west end kneeler with pilasters as on the frontal. The rear stall has a panelled back and a separate seat at the west end. Altar rails feature fluted pilasters on outswept ends and a centre fluted square pier, with scrolls supporting the rail. Apse panelling on each side of the altar consists of outer sections with three panels (centre arched) and inner sections with five panels (centre arched), topped with cresting of winged hour-glasses. The altar table has arched openings on each side of a rectangular main opening with scrolls in the angles. Behind it is a curtain hung between two tall posts with capital and scrolled top, carrying a curtain-beam with delicate triglyphs in the cornice and cresting of winged hour-glasses and a centre carved pierced IHS motif.

A fire-damaged remnant of Sir Francis Chantrey's outstanding monument of 1812–15 to Mariamne Johnes remains in the north transept. Also in the north transept are a burnt and reassembled antique urn and a marble roundel, undamaged, with two cherubs in relief.

Stained Glass

The east window displays Noli me tangere, made around 1934 by Heaton, Butler & Bayne. The apse windows on each side contain fragments of glass said to have come from Holland or Belgium, formerly in the east window, which was destroyed in a 1932 fire.