Church of St Simon and St Jude

Church, rubble stone, chiefly red sandstone, with slate roofs and coped gables. Double-nave plan with added square SW block, said to be a truncated broad tower. N aisle (nave) apparently earlier, see straight joint and battered plinth, but all the detail C15 of the same type as on S aisle. Tower added last, see straight joint to S aisle. Tower has heavy cornerstones, segmental-pointed W door with hood, all C19, and signs that gable stonework is mostly renewed, C19 apex lancet with hoodmould and single bell. Gable has cross finial W while E gable has small chimney. Side walls have C19 lancet. S aisle has 2 original C15 2-light red sandstone flat-headed windows with depressed-arched heads and hoodmoulds, one C19 copy. C15 pointed doorway with hollow chamfer and broach stops. E end has small square chimney on gable (as on E gable of tower). E window is similar C15 2-light. N aisle (nave) has C15 3-light similar window, but longer, and E gable cross finial. N wall has 2 similar C15 2-light windows, blocked pointed C15 door and one C19 similar 2-light window. All original openings are hollow-chamfered. W wall has battered base and 3-light C15 W window, similar to E window.

Tower has C19 ceiling and C19 red sandstone arch into S aisle. Both aisles have fine C15 wagon roofs of plastered panels and moulded timber ribs (a thick bead mould run out at intersections). Each roof is of 6 by 12 panels. Moulded wallplates. Over arcade are curious baulks of timber projecting slightly, like corbels, through lowest plaster panels each side, some 37 in all. Four-bay arcade in red sandstone, the arches chamfered and continued down into chamfered piers. Cement rendered walls. Fittings: Medieval plain octagonal font in conglomerate stone, with later C19 limestone ashlar base. Later C19 pews with simple detail, slightly elaborated in stalls. Five-sided pine pulpit with open traceried top panels. Sanctuary rails on twisted brass standards. E window stained glass of 1885 to the Edwards of Blaensawdde, the Ascension. Marble plaque on E wall of 1885 detailing Edwards and Gwyn ancestry of Howel Gwyn. N wall oval plaque to John Lewes of Penycrug d1813, plaque to Lewis family of Panthowel 1745-1834 by Thomas & Son of Brecon. N wall stained glass 2-light Good Shepherd & Light of the World, by Robert Newbery, to J. Lewis of Nantgwynne d1896. At E end of S aisle and in last bay of arcade are later C19 vestry screens, panelled with incised floral roundels in top horizontal panels. Vestry has fireplace on right side of E wall and various reset memorials: Sarah Jeffreys of Llwynfron d1790; Catherine Hopkins of Blaensawdde d1786, eroded memorial to ? Edwards d 1720.