Church of St Ellywe

Church of St Ellywe

This is a Grade I listed church built of sandstone rubble with a slate roof. The building consists of a single undivided cell in its original form, with a 16th-century south porch added later.

The porch is gabled and features a round-arched outer opening. The inner door is counterboarded oak with cover battens, set into a heavy oak frame with a timber lintel cut to form a soffit arch. This door replaces a blocked medieval door immediately to the east. A 13th-century narrow priest's doorway is positioned further east. The north side displays two small lancets, whilst the south has two inserted 2-light square-headed windows with cusped heads and slightly chamfered jambs. The east window is also 2-light with ogee cusped tracery enclosed within a square head, and there is a 2-light window at the west end.

At the west end stands a gabled timber bell turret, designed by Baldwin of Brecon and built in 1905. It rises from a slate-hung base with louvred 2-light openings.

The southwest wall of the church displays a fine sandstone sundial set at high level, inscribed "PB WARDEN 1686".

Against the south side of the porch are two grave markers dating from the 7th to 9th centuries. One bears a crude stemmed ring cross with ring and dimple in each quadrant; the other has a double ring cross with arms crossed and similar dimples in the quadrants. Set against the east end are two tomb slabs: one to David Powell of Cwm-hwnt, died 1725, featuring a heart motif, and another with bold raised lettering within a moulded margin, arms and trefoil, to William Aubrey of Llanelliyw, died 1716.

Interior

The floor is stone flagged, and the walls retain early, probably medieval plaster. The roof consists of 6 bays with tie and collar beam trusses featuring cusped windbraces to the single tier of purlins. Trusses 3 and 4 have arched braces to collar and a wide runner. The rafters are open. At truss 4, the floor rises one step, marking the division to the chancel. The truss is boarded both above and below the tie beam to form a basic screen, painted red with stencilled white roses above tie beam level. At the centre is the unpainted impression of a rood cross and attenuated cross pattée. Below the tie, the screen is perforated with 2 circles and four quatrefoils. Below the lower bressumer, the screen is open on moulded posts and responds with arch braces.

In front of this main screen stands a second timber screen, with joists forming a loft. Originally, according to Haslan, this had boarding either side of the centre passage to enclose nave altars. It features similar oak posts and responds, panelled in red with stencilled cinquefoils, and a moulded rood beam, originally bearing a painted inscription. The screen is cut back at the south end to accommodate the steps to the pulpit. Cut-off remains of a second moulded rood beam are visible. Despite alterations, this remains an exceptional regional example of a medieval rood screen.

An altar rail of the late 17th century features square newels, ringed balusters and a moulded rail. The sanctuary is partially paved with mid-18th-century tomb slabs, though one dates to 1640. A double piscina is located on the east wall, and an aumbrey in the south wall.

The font, positioned opposite the south door, is octagonal with a cone-shaped bowl raised on a base, and has a 17th-century oak cover. The pulpit is early 18th-century, square, framed and boarded, raised on a stone plinth with bracketed reading shelves.

Furniture includes two 17th- to 18th-century oak pews, each with two terminals to the square-cut ends.

Wall Paintings

The church contains palimpsest medieval painting and numerous post-reformation texts, only partially uncovered. On the west wall, Adam and Eve flank a tree in black line, executed in the late medieval period. The north wall displays a large mantled royal arms, probably late 17th-century, of which only the crowned lion supporter and foliage survive, within a marbled border. To the left is a painted marbled tablet, and further left a large credo framed with columns. To the right of the royal arms are further textual panels. Figures with drapery appear below the north window. At the east end of the north wall is a palimpsest stencilled flower pattern, probably 14th-century, above a dado. The south wall retains extensive but still covered paintings including stencilled flowers, revealed by tests. A large painted Commandments panel is positioned east of the south door. Various cement repairs, regrettably, appear on the south wall.

Monuments

Wall tablets include: (a) A finely carved limestone tablet by Powel, to Thomas Jones and Sibyl Price of Cwm-syfyddig, died 1778/9. (b) White with gables and pilastered marble tablet on black, by Phillips of Talgarth, to Ann, Catherine and Mary Lloyd Price of the Court, died 1867-1879. (c) White tablet on grey by Phillips, within a black frame painted on wall, to the Price family of Llanelieu Court, died 1854 onwards. (d) Relief carved slate by Games, to William Williams of Cwmgynfyn, died 1759. (e) Limestone relief carved tablet with decorative border, by Games, to Mark Watkins of Ifstille, 1748, and John Watkins, died 1765. (f) White tablet against a black painted border, to William Davies of Bronllys Castle, died 1828. (g) White and streaked marbles with an urn on cornice, to Susannah Davies of Bronllys Castle, died 1801. (h) White marble oval on black slate, set on corbel, to William Davies of Aberenig, surgeon, died 1808. (i) Limestone donative tablet in the northeast window reveal, recording a gift of annual monies to poor children "lawfully begott" in 1773. On the south wall: (j) A handsome aedicule with open pediment and carved and painted wood frame by Hughes Lanville, to William Davies of Penwernlleyd, died 1786. Within the priest's door: (k) A black painted limestone tablet by TP, to Hannah Thomas, a child, died 1818. (l) Sandstone slab with relief lettering to Thomas Aubrey, died 1669, with arms below. Above the pulpit: (m) A large limestone slab to Walter Perrott, died 1728, and others. (n) Limestone tablet by Games, to Mary Perrott of Cwm-hwnt, died 1777.