Church of Saint Teilo

Church of Saint Teilo

Parish church constructed in rubble stone with roofs of pale Tyrch slate and terracotta crested ridge tiles. The building comprises a 15th to early 16th century west tower with a south-east stair turret, a 19th century nave and chancel, a south porch, and a parallel north-east vestry. Most of the church dates from 1865, with the vestry rebuilt in 1901. The windows are in Early English style with lancets, generally fitted with tinted glass from 1901.

The tower has a battered base, a corbelled embattled parapet, and small two-light 15th century flat-headed bell-openings, probably renewed in 1901. A pointed 15th century west door features a chamfered sandstone surround and voussoirs over; this was replaced by a 19th century door. Above this is a 15th century flat-headed two-light window with dripstone, and a small rectangular light higher up. The south side has a stair tower to the right, corbelled at the level of the main tower corbels and under the turret battlements.

The body of the church is built of red sandstone rubble with an ashlar band at sill level and a band of brownish small stones at window head level. The wall head appears to have been rebuilt, possibly in 1901. Grey-brown sandstone quoins and window dressings are used throughout. Coped gables with cross finials are visible on the structure.

The nave has a battered base to its south wall, with a single light on each side of the porch and a two-light window with trefoil to the right. The porch has a battered base, a pointed chamfered entry, a tiled floor, and a rafter roof. Its inner doorway is pointed and chamfered with stone voussoirs and an inscription over. The chancel's south side has a single lancet and a pair of lancets; the east end has a triple lancet with stepped reveals where the glazing does not reach the heads. The vestry's east gable is lower, matching the surrounding stonework, with a flat-headed two-light east window with hoodmould, diagonal buttresses, and a west single light above an offset door. The nave's north side has a two-light window and two single light windows similar to those on the south side.

The interior is plastered with boarded scissor-rafter roofs embellished with arch-braced trusses in the two-bay chancel. The tower is not vaulted but has corbels to the ceiling. A segmental pointed door leads to the tower stair. The chancel arch was remade in 1901 with moulded ashlar featuring triple marble ringed shafts on corbels and a hoodmould, with painted text above. Two steps lead into the chancel, and another step ascends to the sanctuary, which has encaustic tiles of 1901 by Maw & Co and then a marble step to the communion table.

A tomb recess on the chancel's north side accommodates an 1865 stone tomb chest to Griffith Jones, reusing an 18th century incised slab as its top. The 15th century font is whitewashed and octagonal with quatrefoil panels and alternating shield and rosette centres. Fittings from 1865 include pitch-pine pews and a Bath stone four-sided pulpit. Fittings from 1901 include a carved oak reredos with ornate canopies, stalls with fleur-de-lys finials, an oak angel lectern, and possibly the twisted iron altar rails with leaf scrolls. The east window, a three-light stained glass work of 1901, depicts the Good Shepherd in the centre with Art and Crafts vine trails in the side lights; it is signed by A.J. Dix.

The monuments include an exceptional memorial to the Reverend Griffith Jones (died 1761). This late 18th century monument is of large scale executed in two-colour marble with a broad plaque flanked by scrolls, a cornice with a centre depressed arch, and carved books above against a broad obelisk top with marble drapes. A gadrooned bottom moulding and a winged cherub head (said to be a portrait of Jones) are positioned below. A white marble memorial to Bridget Bevan (died 1799), dated 1837 and created by D. Mainwaring of Carmarthen, is a large slightly misunderstood neo-Grec design with classical lamps each side of an obelisk top with an oval urn, torches to side piers, and two superimposed cornices; it may have been reassembled incorrectly, with laurel sprays adorning it. A chancel slate plaque commemorates John Dalton of Glogyfran (died 1724).

The vestry has a collar rafter roof and a painted marbled fireplace.