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.
Pembrey is on the coast road the A484 10km west of Llanelli and 20km south of Carmarthen. The church is on the east side of the main square to the south of the A484.
Reference
AA Route Planner Cadw Listings Notice OS Map 159
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 records show that Bishop Herwald of Llandaff consecrated the church in 1066. It was in the medieval Deanery of Kidwelly. In 1120 the lord of Kidwelly – Roger of Salisbury – granted it to the Benedictines of Sherborne Abbey in Dorset. Henry, Duke of Lancaster and Bishop of St David’s granted the church with two others to the New College in Leicester in 1353. The in 1366 it was granted by John of gaunt (Duke of Lancaster) to the Bishop of St David’s, on condition that the founded a chantry chapel within the church which was to be supported by the revenues of St Ishmael’s church. The nave a and chancel are probably C13, the north aisle and Lady Chapel (formerly the chantry chapel) are C14 while the arcade between them looks C15. A tower was added in the early C16 (frost mentioned in 1552). A restoration took place in1818 and a major restoration took place in 1856-7 by James Williams of Bath. (R J Withers proposed a ‘harsh’ restoration in 1874 which was not proceeded with). W D Caröe was engaged for a further restoration in 1910-11 who chose the silver-grey Pembrokeshire slates. Some interior restoration took place in 2004.
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 101623
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
Built from local rubble stone beneath Pembrokeshire silver-grey slates behind coped gables with projecting eaves, a nave with a lower and narrower chancel, a north aisle, a north chapel, a four-story tower, a south porch, north of the tower is a toilet block (of the late C20) and below ground level is a boiler house. Above the porch is a sundial (reset) with a gnomon and plate dated 1773 by David Thomas, (Morgan Morgan and Thomas John Churchwardens). On the west face of the tower is a doorway with a Tudor arch, on the second stage of the tower is a round clock face on the west, south and north faces, installed 1935-6. The bell stage has two openings with sunk spandrels except for the south face which has a single opening. The top of the tower is composed of stepped battlements. On the chancel outer wall is the memorial to the ship wreckers of Cefn Sidan sands.
Reference Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 101623
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.
With an arched-braced roof set on corbels, with side stone benches, the porch provides entry to the church through a new door of 1988 (replacing one of 1717). The interior is luminous with the walls stripped of plaster, the nave roof is arch-braced with 12 narrow bays. The chancel arch is narrowed with the earlier arch still visible in the wall, to the left is a squint and the right is the former rood-loft doorway. The chancel roof is similar to that of the nave of just 6-bays. The arcade has octagonal pier and 4 centred arches. Dating from 1856 is a slender octagonal font in Perpendicular style, it has quatrefoils around the bowl. From 1911 is the polygonal wooden pulpit which stands on a narrow-bracketed base, each facet has ogee-headed panels with marginal vine-trail decorations in low relief. The early communion rail is Georgian with turned balusters and is on three sides of the altar. The choir stalls are probably Caröe’s, they have richly moulded ends and the front rank has an open frieze of quatrefoils in lozenges. The organ is from 1922 by Nicholson & Son in an C18 design. The C16 south window is the best single feature in the church is the south window whose roll moulded reveal is beautifully carved, with one shield each side and six in the soffit (the show the arms of the Butler, Basset, Beaufort and Plantagenet families together with a shield bearing the 5 wounds). The stained glass: ‘The Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and St John’, Horace Wilson, 1926; ‘The Adoration if the Shepherds and the Magi’, Celtic Studios, 1967, ‘The Risen Christ Appearing to St Mary Magdalene, Celtic Studios, 1957; ‘St David and St Illtyd’. There are three bells cast in 1911 by Mears & Stainbank.
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 101623 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.