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.
The village of Kerry lies in an upland Vale of Kerry beneath the Kerry Hills to the south and watered by the River Mule a tributary of the River Severn. It lies on the A489 some 4.5 km south east of Newtown to the west and 37 km from Craven Arms to the east.
References
Route Planner Directions, traffic and maps AA
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.
The church marks the scene from 1176 when Gerald Cambrensis, Archdeacon of Brecon, claimed the new church for the Diocese of St David’s and excommunicated the Bishop of St Asaph who was claiming it for his Diocese. There had probably been a church on or close to the site for 400 years which was part of the Llanbadarn Diocese. The earlier church was reputed to have been founded by Cadwgan and may well have been the centre of a clas or mother church to the area.
At the time of Gerald’s appearance, a new church had been constructed dedicated to St Michael. The Lord of the Manor in this instance was the Bishop of St David’s and he was granted the right to hold a fair here in 1290. There is no record of a grant of a market but the parking area now in front of the church and known as the ‘The Square’ might well have been the site of a market. In the Lincoln Taxatio of 1291 the church was valued at £20. The tower was built in C14 – and has been tree ring dated to 1525 - when a new chancel was built. Rebuilding of the north aisle took place in C15, there may have been a south aisle which was demolished in C17. A gallery existed by 1635 which was enlarged in 1754 lit by a dormer window. A second gallery was added in the north aisle in 1761. During C18 restoration work buttresses were probably added to the tower.
In 1849 the church was formally integrated into the Diocese of St Asaph. T H Wyatt reported that the structure was unsafe in a report of 1853 but no action was taken. Significant repairs were carried out in 1883 under the direction of G E Street and then (after his death) A E Street and the clerk of works V Cotterill Schoenfeld with the contractor Edward Davies of Newtown. Soil within the church was removed and a wood block floor under the benches and tiles for the aisles were installed. The rebuilt portions were in Llanymynach Limestone with Grinshill sandstone dressings. The medieval nave roof was underpinned but the chancel roof was completely renewed while the canopy over the sanctuary was repaired and replaced – the total cost being £3777.
Considerable restoration was undertaken in 1924 by Harold Hughes and again in 1960 when the coke-fired boiler was removed and replaced by an electric heating system. In 1993/4 work necessitated by storm damage took place with many oak timbers replaced by steel girders.
Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013
CPAT Montgomeryshire Churches Survey
Cadw Listings Notice
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The nave and almost equally wide north aisle have lead the church to be described as a double nave structure. It consists of a nave and chancel (slightly narrower) with a north aisle with its eastern end converted into a vestry and organ chamber, a south porch and a much-buttressed tower. The top stage of the tower is slightly wider and is capped with two-tier wooden Montgomeryshire bell stage of 1525.
It was constructed with small to medium sized liner blocks of grey and brown sandstone with some light grey mudstone and red sandstone with restoration in Limestone and sandstone dressing. The roof is of red slates, hipped ridge tiles and cross finials of different designs at the east end of the chancel and vestry. The nave and north aisle roofs are higher than the chancel. The tower has a pyramidal slate roof surmounted by a weathervane of 1718.
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.
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.
The open porch has a tiled floor, plastered walls and a roof of two bays with a central collar truss and a tie beam above the nave door with arch bracing and raking struts inscribed ‘Rebuilt AD1176 Restored1883’. Two steps down lead into the nave with a tiled floor and flush woodblocks under the seating. Th C14/C15 roof is over five bays formed by five arch-braced collars with short raking struts. The cornices have trefoiled panels and probably date form C19. The north wall has a four-bay arcade in pinkish sandstone. The north aisle is largely similar to the nave save that since 1976 the east end has been set aside as a chapel on raised flooring while the west end is a baptistry and children’s corner. The tower is entered through an arch 1.4m deep, the ground floor has been adapted as a meeting area.
A C19 screen crosses the chancel, finished as in the nave save has encaustic tiles made by Godwins of Hereford. There are two staggered steps up from the nave and a further two steps into the sanctuary. There is a wagon roof over the chancel of 1883 and comprises 18 close-set arch-braced trusses springing from wall plates fronted by trefoil-headed panels. Over the sanctuary is a restored medieval canopy with moulded arch braces and four purlins. The bosses have been re-gilded.
The font is tall, late Perpendicular, octagonal and carved on three faces with the instruments of Christ’s Passion. The pulpit is Victorian but with fragments from the C15 screen. The Victorian lectern has a Welsh Bible of 1650 chained to it. The east window is repudiated to be by Kempe, 1890, but it is more likely to be by Herbert Bryans ‘Crucifixion’ but his maker’s mark and date are obscured by the reredos (canopy?).
Stained Glass in Wales
A National Bell Register - George Dawson's Website - Homestead
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.