Bettws Penpont Church

Bettws Penpont Church is a building of coursed rubble stone construction with plain tiled roofs, dating to the 18th century. It stands in a rural setting. The church’s architectural style is characterized by chamfered lancet windows with uncarved hoodmoulds and a chamfered plinth. The apse features four chamfered lancet windows, with a fifth window replicated in the east wall of the attached organ chamber. A moulded sill course extends along the north buttress. The nave has two pairs of lancet windows, each grouped under a pointed hoodmould, and a pointed doorway to the right. The pointed doorway is composed of two orders, roll-moulded internally and chamfered externally, incorporating imposts, a hoodmould, and stone voussoirs, and it has a boarded door with wrought iron hinges. The west gable is coped, and the west round tower features a deep double-chamfered plinth and a two-light window with a roundel under a pointed hoodmould. Above this is a moulded course, followed by a narrow second stage with rectangular chamfered openings to the northwest and southwest, then a sill band below four bell-lights, each a chamfered louvered lancet with a hoodmould. The tower is topped with a conical tiled roof and a weathercock. A gabled vestry is attached to the south side, with a coped gable and a two-light window. The south side of the nave aligns with three two-light windows mirroring those on the north. The chancel incorporates an attached organ chamber, marked by bargeboards on its south gable, with one lancet window to the south and another to the east, resembling those in the apse.

Inside, the walls are plastered, and the ceilings are boarded with timber transverse ribs radiating in the apse. A moulded chancel arch sits on column shafts, with two steps leading into the chancel. An arched opening gives access to the tower, featuring carved corbels added in 1937. Notable fittings include a massive drum font constructed of ashlar stone, by Scott, with chamfered upper sections, moulded lower sections, a round shaft, and a moulded base, accompanied by a dated font cover from 1889. A substantial octagonal ashlar pulpit, also by Scott, stands on a pedestal and displays a band of zig-zag ornament near the top. There is an oak book-rest lectern dating to 1908, and a reading desk by Scott. Armorial hatchments are displayed, including one commemorating Penry Williams of Penpont, who died in 1847. The church contains bench pews with fleurs-de-lys and cusping on the bench ends, again designed by Scott, along with a settle created in 1990 by R. Harries of Battle. Stalls with panelled backs and an integrated reading desk were also designed by Scott. An altar rail features scrolled wrought ironwork, including a passion-flower motif. The organ, originally built by Flight & Robson of London in 1804 and purportedly from the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, was moved to the church in 1886-7 and subsequently rebuilt in 1967 by Vowles & Son, retaining the original Georgian organ case. The original organ from the church is now located in St Mary Brecon. Stained glass windows are present; the apse windows are by Hardman, depicting a Crucifixion and three Evangelists, with a fourth window in the organ chamber. A south nave window by Burlison & Grylls, dating from the later 19th century, portrays Saints Peter & Paul. The west tower window, dedicated to Rev Garnons Williams (1828-1908), is by Powell & Sons (1913) and depicts “The Presentation” and “Christ with Children”, incorporating portraits of the Williams family. Memorials include a floor slab commemorating Thomas Williams of Penpont (1738-62) and numerous brass plaques on the south and west walls, many dedicated to members of the Garnons Williams family who died in the World Wars.