St Illtyd's Parish Church

St Illtyd's Parish Church is a Decorated church dating from the 14th century, with significant additions and alterations from the 19th century. It comprises a chancel, nave, a south porch, and an embattled western tower. The church is constructed of random limestone, with natural slate roofing to the chancel and nave. The east window is dated 1656 and is a three-light design with rounded heads, a hollow-chamfered hoodmould beneath a relieving arch. A 19th-century two-light round-headed window is located on the south side of the chancel, set beneath a square hoodmould with hollow chamfer. To the west of this window is a priest's door with a four-centred arch and a complexly moulded square hoodmould. A four-centred dressed stone doorway, with plain chamfer and diagonal stops, is set at first-floor level on the west side of the nave. The south porch has open eaves with shaped rafter feet, a narrow pointed doorway without mouldings, and a two-centred inner doorway with broached stops beneath a relieving arch. The porch roof is of an A-frame design with a collar purlin, displaying early 16th-century moulded principal rafters, although the remainder of the roof is 19th century. The wallplate is embattled with carved foliate motifs facing the benches on either side. The square, battlemented tower features a corbel table below and has louvred windows on each face at the upper level, along with a two-light round-headed window on the south face. The west doorway is a 19th-century addition, displaying complex roll moulding and square label stops with keel stops to the jambs. The north face of the nave has a two-light window with a diamond shape in the head, flanked by single-light lancets. Evidence of earlier windows remains, now blocked. The north elevation of the chancel is unlit. A substantial medieval fragment, stylistically thought to date from around 1200, is set to the south of the tower. This fragment features continuous blind arcading and eroded capitals, and while its shape suggests a possible font, it is more likely that it was originally the base of a medieval cross.

The church is surrounded by a 1.5-meter-high, coursed 19th-century rubble wall with cock and hen coping. The pointed chancel arch is from the 14th century and has continuous moulding. Inside the chancel stands a large and exceptionally fine monument to John Bassett, his wife, Sir Anthony Mansell, his wife Elizabeth (younger daughter of John Bassett), and their seven children. This late 16th-century monument, in the Renaissance style and attributed to Richard Twrch of Glamorgan, depicts the family group. The chancel and nave have 19th-century arch braced roofs. A late 14th-century rood screen, of Perpendicular style, is present and was restored in the 19th century. The nave contains numerous fine monuments relating to the Aubrey, Bassett, and Mansel families.