Church of St David

Church of St David

This Grade I listed church is built of coursed stone rubble with ashlar dressings and features a Welsh slate roof. It comprises an aisleless nave with a substantial west tower, south porch, and lower chancel.

The west tower is large and rectangular, with a wide staircase bay on its southeast corner. The tower has chamfered square-headed staircase lights with paired square-headed openings incorporating paired chamfered louvres serving the ringing chamber on the east and west sides, and single openings on the north and south. It is topped with an embattled parapet on a corbel table with corner gargoyles, and has a string course at nave roof level and plinth. Clock faces look out to the village. The west front is ashlar up to window level and features a wide four-centred arched multiple-chamfered doorway, now blocked, with corbels bearing chunky finials with crockets and broach stops at the base. Above this is an elliptical arched three-light window with two six-petalled roses as tracery, hood mould and stops.

The south porch is gabled and of ashlar construction. It has a wide segmental pointed arch with shallow mouldings dying into the jambs. The main architectural feature is the large chunky finials on each side with grotesque heads at kneeler level and an apex cross. Inside, the two-bay porch contains stone seats and a flag floor. A heavily moulded four-centred ogee arch with finial leads to the south door, with the plinth above formerly supporting a statue and bearing angel stops. The porch has a barrel roof with pegged stone slates and moulding to the main beams and wallplate, which is partly restored. Behind the present door are signs of an earlier higher pointed or relieving arch, and ochre limewash fragments remain visible. A stoup stands to the right.

The south side of the nave to the left of the porch has a small window of two chamfered arched lights in a square-headed frame, with two blocked features above, one circular. To the right is a restored window with three trefoil-headed lights with Perpendicular tracery and hood mould. Two renewed windows serve the chancel, and a blocked former priest's door is visible. The east gable end has stepped coping and a battered base to the east wall, with a restored three-light window with Decorated tracery and an inset wall monument now illegible on the southeast. The north side has no openings and is built on boulder footings. The east end of the nave has a wide bay to accommodate road access.

The interior is limewashed with exposed dressings. The nave has a wagon roof with reeded principals, formerly with bosses at intersections and corbels. The west tower arch has two orders with hollow chamfers and fluted capitals. Inside on the left is a four-centred arched doorway to the tower; the original stone floor lies some 1.5 metres below the existing level. A pointed tunnel vault is present. A wide embrasure accommodates the south nave window.

The chancel arch is segmental pointed with chamfering in two orders, dying into the imposts, with scars of the former rood screen visible. To the right is a moulded niche with a trefoil head, and a smaller round-arched niche to the left, evidently formerly for statues. An unusual part of a stone altar with diamond pattern to the chamfered edge and three consecration crosses is preserved, showing it is not in situ; as a whole it could not fit the space and is reputedly transferred from Llangewydd. Above left in the end of the north wall is a chamfered rood arch doorway at upper level, stopped at the base, with a hollow-chamfered basket-arched north access doorway and stone steps between, both intact.

The chancel, raised one step, has a quite different A-frame roof in three bays with a moulded wallplate and three rows of trenched purlins. The church contains many 17th and 18th century engraved wall monuments throughout, many with locally favoured round arched heads or Baroque style with side piers, heavy finials and coats of arms, some painted to resemble marble. Many commemorate the local Bennett family of Laleston House. Ledger slabs line the nave and chancel.

The chancel contains George Pace limed oak stalls, desk and pulpit of 1958, and elaborate early 20th century sanctuary woodwork including a reredos of 1908 by William Clarke of Llandaff. The east window possibly dates to the 1870s by Clayton and Bell; the south windows contain pale quarry glass with floral motifs. A small octagonal font rests on an octagonal base with a possibly Georgian cover. A stoup left of the door connects via a stone pipe to the stoup in the porch. Benefaction boards of 1769 hang high over the chancel arch. A clock by Smiths of Derby was installed in 1910.