Church of St Maughan

Church of St Maughan

A small country church of low proportions, built of small random sandstone rubble with roofs now covered in small grey stone slates. According to Bradney, the church was much altered in 1866, though the Victorian restoration appears to have been relatively sensitive. The building consists of a low and narrow nave with a west tower and a north aisle under a parallel roof.

The most distinctive external feature is the west tower, which like those at Rockfield and Skenfrith is characteristic of Welsh border churches: square on plan and sheer-walled, with a low pyramidal two-stage timber-framed dovecote belfry, both stages close-studded. The tower itself is said to have been heightened by about two feet during the Victorian restoration and the old belfry replaced. Apart from the belfry, the only openings are a small lancet window at ground-floor level on the west side and a simple looplight in the middle of the wall above.

The west gable wall of the north aisle has a small Perpendicular two-light mullioned window with Tudor-arched lights, hollow spandrels and a hood mould with hollowed block stops. Its south side has a low gabled porch with a chamfered two-centred arched outer doorway; the keystone is carved with the date 1731 and initials TP. Another Perpendicular two-light window stands to the right of the porch and a Victorian three-light window further to the right in similar style. At the east end, the gable of the aisle has a Victorian two-centred arched two-light window with trefoil-headed lights and a multifoil in the head, while the nave gable has a larger window with Y-tracery. Against the north wall of the nave are two plain sloped buttresses with a restored Perpendicular three-light window between them, a small lancet below and to the right of this, and a similar lancet to the east of the east buttress.

The most remarkable interior element is the aisle arcade, which consists of three octagonally-shaped oak tree-trunks stopped to square section at the top, with smaller respond posts at each end and small restored arch-braces to a large and richly-moulded arcade plate. The timber surfaces are keyed for former plaster covering. Both nave and aisle have large moulded wall-plates like the arcade plate and shallow barrel-vaulted ceilings divided into square panels by slender moulded ribwork with carved bosses, characteristic of the 15th or early 16th century and suggesting they date from a reconstruction following the Glyn Dwr rebellion of 1402–5. Moulded beams span the church one bay from the east end and also to the west.

Evidence of earlier building includes a short half-column respond of around 1200 at the west end of the aisle arcade and part of a similar capital at the east end. The two lancets in the north wall, a two-centred arched doorway to the tower, and the Y-traceried east window are all probably of the later 13th century. At the west end is a circular font with convex sides and a small moulding about two-thirds down, which may date from the 9th or 10th century.

A brass plaque attached to the north side of the east respond post is inscribed "This church was restored in the year of our Lord MDCCCLXVI by John E.W. and Elizabeth M. Rolls of the Hendre in thankful remembrance of many mercies and blessings". On the south wall to the west of the doorway is a wall monument in the form of a tomb chest commemorating General Sir Robert Brownrigg of Hilston House, Governor of Languard Fort and Colonel of the 9th Regiment of Foot, who died in 1833. The chancel east window contains stained glass by Heaton, Butler & Payne, dated 1866, in Pre-Raphaelite style.