Church of Saint Mary

Church of Saint Mary

This is a parish church of rubble stone with slate roofs, comprising a west tower, nave, and chancel. The building is Grade II* listed.

The tower is a notable feature, with a fine large structure that has a battered base, tapering walls, and a corbelled embattled parapet. The base is broken by a high string course and features a chamfered pointed west door with a 19th-century board door hung on scrolled iron hinges. Plain rectangular louvred bell-openings appear on each face, with two much smaller similar openings on the west front. Stone lintels support the openings. The nave and lower chancel retain extensive remains of former render.

The nave has three two-light windows on both the south and north sides. These windows have arched heads to the lights and are mostly 19th-century in date, though the third window on the south side copies a red stone original. Between the second and third windows on the south side is a blocked low pointed door with stone voussoirs.

The chancel's south side contains a late medieval square-headed two-light window in red stone. The right jamb is splayed while the left is straight, suggesting later alteration. The window has two recessed lights with keyhole cusping and sunk spandrels. The east end displays a 19th-century tooled grey stone two-light window with curved heads matching those on the nave windows, with a curved-sided lozenge above. The north side retains a medieval plain chamfered pointed single light.

The interior of the tower has a renewed beamed ceiling with beams resting on medieval corbels. A rubble stone pointed arch opens into the church and has been infilled with a pointed doorway containing 19th-century double doors. The walls are plastered, and the roof features panelled barrel vaults with open panels. The nave roof appears to be entirely 19th-century, while the chancel roof dates from the 15th to 16th centuries and displays moulded ribs. Segmental pointed plastered reveals frame the nave windows.

In the northeast corner stands a square-headed low narrow rood stair door with an oak door, its cover strips arranged in Tudor arch pattern. A similar but longer door leads to a narrow upper rood loft opening. A plain plastered pointed broad chancel arch separates the nave from the chancel, with one step up into the chancel space. The chancel itself is broad and features a fine panelled roof of 10 by 6 open panels. One further step leads to the sanctuary.

The font is possibly 16th-century, fashioned from whitewashed stone in an octagonal bowl form. Each face is tooled with edges, and the underside is splayed into a chamfered square base standing on a square plain pedestal with chamfered upper edges.

The pulpit dates from 1906 and is a large octagonal timber structure with ornate traceried blind panels and a carved angel bookrest. It was given by Mrs Ann Jones of Radyr in memory of her husband J.W. Jones, who was an engineer to Ystradfodwg Local Board.

The reredos and panelling across the east end date from 1905 and frame the east window with oak panelling in the reveals and flanking crocketted paired piers with statues in niches, cornice, and cresting. The reredos itself contains a carved panel of Christ at Emmaus. This too was given by Mrs Ann Jones in memory of her parents.

An oak eagle lectern dating to around 1903 was presented to Reverend D. Jones and stands on a Gothic shaft. Plain altar rails rest on six wrought iron uprights decorated with leaf scrolls. Pine chancel stalls with open-fronted kneelers and plain pine late 19th-century pews furnish the interior. A late 19th-century vestry occupies the northwest corner, built with boarded walls.

The stained glass includes an east window of 1891 depicting the Last Supper, given by Mrs Thomas of Ysguborwen, Aberdare. The chancel south window shows Saints Mary and David, dated 1905 and given by Mrs Ann Jones, as was the nave north window depicting Saint Elizabeth and King David, presented to David and Elizabeth Walters of Hepste Fawr. The nave south window contains Faith and Hope and was given to Mrs Ann Jones, who died in 1910.

The church contains numerous monuments. In the tower is an incised slab with arms to William Jones of Hepste, died 1691, and a slab to Margaret Jones of Heol Fawr, died 1812. In the nave, a north window reveal displays a plaque to Howell Howell of Penyfathor Issa, died 1761, and Lervelin Howell, died 1753, signed by L. Powel. An arched plaque with a winged angel head commemorates Margaret Morgan of Penyvathor Ycha, died 1751, by J. Williams. The north wall carries a Gothic plaque to Jenkin Walters of Penyfathor, died 1837, and his wife, died 1867, by J. Philips of Talgarth.

In the nave southeast are plaques to John Jones of Blaen Nedd Uchaf, died 1805, by William Jones, and to Lewis Jenkins of Brynbich, died 1785. The chancel east wall on the right displays a long plaque of 1733 recording charities, and a carved and coloured plaque with crude ornament to Edward Walters of Llwynyfedw, died 1824. The chancel south side contains a plaque to Jenkin Walters of Penyfathor Ychaf, died 1812, and his wife, died 1823. A good painted stone memorial with crude Adam-style detail commemorates Elizabeth Jones of Carnycrochan, died 1814, and her husband, died 1816, signed with what appears to be Edward's name. An oval plaque honours William Jones of Clynmerched, died 1794, and his son, died 1816. A painted plaque to Thomas Jones of Berthlwyd, died 1779, displays a winged skull and bones with a carved border. The west wall contains an oval plaque with a crude winged head to Margaret Jones of Forchgoch, Glyncorrwg, died 1793, and her husband, died 1794.