Parish Church of St Dochdwy

The Parish Church of St Dochdwy is a medieval church, largely of the 14th century, built of coursed limestone rubble with a stepped slate roof. It consists of a chancel, nave, a south porch, and a bellcote at the west end, housing two bells. The east window is a three-light design with trefoil heads, the central light rising to the top of the depressed arch, featuring plate tracery in the head and a hoodmould. South-facing windows to the chancel are three 19th-century trefoil-headed lancets. A small, square-headed, leaded light of circa 16th-century style, set high on the southeast corner of the nave, formerly illuminated the rood loft. To the east of the south porch are a pair of 19th-century trefoil-headed lancets, set under relieving arches, and an earlier single trefoil-headed lancet to the west of the porch. The south porch has a coped gabled slate roof with a Celtic wheel cross finial, a two-centred outer doorway, and chamfered moulded stone jambs with broach stops, topped by a hoodmould with head stops. The porch’s roof is of early 16th century style, featuring a decorated wall plate with carved stylised roses and a moulded collar purlin with foliate bosses and the face of Christ to the centre. The inner doorway is round-headed and includes flanking stone benches. The west elevation is heavily battered and has a pair of high-level trefoil-headed lights. The north side of the nave is unlit, with a stair outshut to the east end. A flat-topped doorway with shoulders leads from the north side of the chancel to a 19th-century vestry; the east end of the vestry has a 19th-century two-light trefoil-headed window.

The chancel arch, much of the fenestration, pews, pulpit, and chancel screen were replaced during a restoration in 1869. The chancel roof is a 19th-century wagon roof of closely set arched braces, while the sanctuary roof is panelled. The nave retains the original 14th-century cradle roof. An octagonal font dates back to the 14th century. North of the sanctuary is a brass depicting a woman in medieval costume dated 1426, representing the wife of Walter Moreton, constable of Cardiff. The churchyard is enclosed by a high limestone rubble wall with a revetment. To the south of the church are an inner and outer wall, approximately 2.5m apart, with a carriageway leading to Llandough Castle. A tablet is mounted on the inner face of the outer wall, dated 1851.