The name or dedication of the church.
This identifies the church type. Most churches are parish churches which means they serve a specific parish or area. Other types such as chapel, daughter and mission are mostly historic designations as many are now also parish churches. Please note that former churches are no longer used for worhsip and may be in private ownership.
A unique identification number given to every church.
The name of the diocese in which the church is located.
The name of the archdeaconry in which the church is located.
This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.
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There are 3 levels of listing: Grade I, II* & II. The majority of buildings which are of special interest are Grade II. A much smaller number of particularly important buildings are listed as Grade II*. Buildings of exceptional interest (approx 2% of the total number of listed buildings) are Grade I.
Ancient monuments and archaeological remains of national importance are protected by law. Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service is responsible for compiling a schedule (list) of these ancient monuments, some of which can be found in churches and churchyards. Examples can include churchyard crosses and the archaeological remains of previous churches or buildings on the site.
There are three National Parks in Wales: Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons. These protect 20 percent of the land in Wales, including precious landscapes, habitats, villages and heritage sites.
There are over 500 conservation areas in Wales. They are designated by local planning authorities for their special architectural and historic interest.
The Buildings at Risk register is managed by Cadw (the Welsh Government’s historic environment service) in order to identify the number and type of listed buildings at risk in Wales.
It is often extremely difficult to determine a precise date of construction for a church as many have been extensively altered over time. Church Heritage Cymru therefore shows a date range within which a church is believed to have been constructed. The dates are as follows: Early Medieval (pre 1066), Medieval (post 1066 to 1540), Post Medieval (1540 to 1837), Victorian/Pre WWI (1837 to 1914) and Modern (post 1914).
This is a very brief summary of the church's main features. More detailed nformation can be found in the other fields and pages (tabs) in this database.
Useful information is displayed here for people wishing to visit the church. This may include things like opening hours, catering & toilet facilities, parking, etc.
If the church has its own website the details will be displayed here.
Any further sources of information for the church will be listed here (eg. links to other historic databases).
This is the Ordnance Survey (OS) reference for the location of the church. Some locations will be approximate as this data is continuously being refined and updated.
This is the name of the Local Authoirity within which the church is located.
This describes how the church relates to its immediate and wider environment, sometimes called its setting. It describes how the church contributes to its landscape or townscape and how these things collectively contribute to the character of the area.
Skenfrith church is attractively situated at the northern end of the village 100m north of the castle. The village is 13.5km north west of Monmouth some along the B4347 and then B4521.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 161 Cadw Listing Notice 2082
This is a description of the ground plan of the church.
If known, the dimensions (measurements) of the church ground plan will be displayed here.
If the footrprint (area) of the church is known, it will be displayed here.
A description of the history and archaeology of the church and its site.
Earliest phase believed to date from the reign of King John (1199-1216), and aisles added (or replaced) probably in the C13 to C15; repaired and restored probably in the later C17; nave and chancel roofs renewed in 1896 by E.G.Davies; restored 1909-10 by William Weir of London in consultation with S.P.A.B.
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
A small church built in several phases. It consists of a squat W tower, a low nave with N and S aisles under pitched roofs to the same height, a S porch, and a 2-bay chancel which is only slightly lower than the nave and has a small lean-to vestry on the S side. It is built of reddish random rubble with quoins, and the roofs are now of small stone slates. Its most distinctive feature is the relatively low and very sturdy tower, which, like those at Rockfield and St Maughans, is of a type characteristic of the Welsh borders, square on plan and sheer-walled, with a low 2-stage timber-framed "dovecote" belfry, the lower stage close-studded and the upper with 2 tiers of small square louvred openings and a pyramidal roof. The walls, which are 1?m thick, are of random rubble with dressed quoins, a chamfered band at plinth level, a small moulded band over the ground-floor and plain coping at the top, and there is a massive raked buttress in front of the NW corner. The W front has a broad 2-centred arched doorway moulded in 2 orders, with a hoodmould and a heavy oak door; a small moulded lancet above the doorway, a smaller chamfered lancet above that and a C20 open-work metal clockface at the top. The S side has a similar clockface but no openings; and the N side has a very small glazed looplight to the 1st stage and a chamfered lancet to the 2nd stage.. The S aisle has a large moulded 2-centred arched 4-light W window with Perpendicular tracery, and on its S side a large but low porch with a wide depressed-arch outer doorway, a small 2-light Perpendicular traceried window in each side, inner side benches, a cusped stoup in the NE corner, and a wide Tudor-arched inner doorway with 2 orders of moulding and a heavy oak door. East of the porch is one square-headed mullioned window of 4 cusped lights under a shallow band of simple Perpendicular tracery, and in the E gable a 2-centred arched 3-light window with cusped Perpendicular tracery. In the angle with the chancel is a small vestry under a carried-down roof, which has a 2-centred arched priest door with chamfered surround and a Tudor-style 3-light mullioned window with arched lights and hollow spandrels. The chancel has a rectangular 3-light S window similar to that of the S aisle, a 3-light E window with simple Y-tracery, and a small 2-light N window with cusped tracery. The N aisle, which has a more steeply pitched roof and raised gable copings, has 3 windows in its N side like the E window of the chancel, a 3-light E window with reticulated tracery, and a large 4-light W window with cusped lights and delicate trefoil tracery in the head. .
Information about any noteable architects, artists, people, or events associated with the church.
Information about any important features and building fabric.
If known, a list of the church's major building material/s will be displayed here.
Any renewable energy systems the church is using will be listed here.
The name/dedication of the church and its location.
A brief description of the image.
The date the image was created.
Copyright details.
The name of the person who inputted the image.
This section gives a general description of the interior of the church. Further details of any important internal fixtures and fittings will be listed below.
Four-bay aisle arcades of cylindrical columns with moulded annular caps carrying double-chamfered 2-centred arches; double-chamfered chancel arch with steps to the former Rood loft to its right; wide depressed tower arch with 2 orders of moulding. The nave and S aisles have plastered wagon roofs, and the wallplate on the N side of the S aisle is moulded and dated 1661. The N aisle has a coved plastered ceiling. The chancel has a wide Tudor-arched opening to the S vestry with remains of a 2-centred former window to its east; a C17 balustraded communion rail; a C13 moulded semi-circular arched piscina in the SE corner; a Reading Desk formed of parts of the medieval Rood Screen, with primitive pierced tracery; and some traces of of wall-painting on the E wall. In the S aisle is an octagonal font dated 1661; at its E end, a re-located C16 or C17 minstrels' pew with 2 tiers of 8 panels, the upper ones with elaborate carved scrollwork; between this and the font is a block of 3 old oak benches on side sills; and on the E wall are remains of wall-painting. The N aisle contains a very fine C16 chest tomb of John Morgan (d. 1557), steward of the Duchy of Lancaster, last governor of the "Three Castles" (Grossmont, Skenfrith and White Castle), and MP for Monmouthshire Boroughs 1553 and 1554: the lid has incised carving of the subject (a bearded man in cap and robe) together with his wife, surrounded by margin lettering: "HOC TUMULO CONDITA SUNT CORPORA IOHANNIS MORGAN, ARMIGERI, QUI OBIIT 2 DIE SEPTEMBRIS ANNO D'NI 1557, ET ANNE UXORIS EIUS QUE OBIIT 4 DIE IAN. ANNO D'NI 1564 QUORUM ANIMABUS PROPICIETUR DEUS" plus an added inscription "IM obit 75 1587"; each side has 4 panels of "weepers" (males on S side, females on N side) and each end an elaborate shield of Arms (that at the foot the Arms of the Cecils, his wife's family), all these in bold relief. At the W end of this aisle is the Morgan family pew, Jacobean, with 2 tiers of elaborate carved panels in Renaissance style, and a top rail decorated with gadrooning. The present pews and choir stalls date from the 1909 restoration.
Information about the church's important internal fixtures and fittings.
Information about the church's important moveable items and artworks.
A description of the ecology of the churchyard.
Information about the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.
Records whether the church has been consecrated.
Records whether there have been burials in the churchyard.
Records whether the churchyard is still being used for burials.
Records whether there are any war graves in the churchyard.
Any important churchyard structures will be listed here.
Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the relationship of the church to its surrounding area and helps place it within its wider landscape context.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the significance of the historic building fabric of the church.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the historic significance of the interior of the church.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the relationship between the church and its community.