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 parish church of Llanfair-ar-Bryn is actually in Llandovery on the northeast side of the town on the road to Builth Wells 40km to the northeast.
Reference
AA Route Planner Cadw Listings Notice OS Map 160
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.
Like the church in Holyhead this church is built on the site of a Roman fort – Alabum which was built during the Flavian advance in AD70s. The fort was a regular enclosure 180m NE-SW and 140m NW-SE and is now split by a road looping round off the A483. The majority of the fort is now within the churchyard. A cell of the Benedictine Priory at Great Malvern was established here c1126 following the conquest of the area by Richard Fitz Ponds in c1110. The area was reconquered by Thys ap Gruffudd of Deheubarth in 1165. Initially he was happy to have cell there but he was not happy with the lax behaviour of the monks and the cell was suppressed. Gerald of Wales recorded that the wives of the townsfolk were not safe from the monks. Although the parish church of Llanfair-ar-y-Bryn this church is located in Llandovery (Llandingat) parish and in 1883 a parish church was built at Cynghordy in 1883, this church then becoming a chapel of ease to St Dingat’s church1.5km to the south. The hymn writer and evangelist William Williams Pantecelyn (1717-17910 is buried in the churchyard and his desk is in the vestry (Note Williams was a Deacon of the Church of England but was refused ordinations as a priest.) In 1854 George Burrow the writer of ‘Wild Wales’ attended a service her. The nave and chancel are thought to be C12 and in 1290 the church was restored at which time the east bay was raised and the former south chapel was constructed. In 1484 Richard III donated 10 marks to the church (1 mark was worth 13s8d, 66p). During the late c15 the tower was built and a rood screen installed. In 1710the area between the south chapel and the porch was some 25ft in length (about 8m) and was full of skulls and bones to a height of 6ft (2m) all piled against the church wall. Restoration occurred in 1880 when the organ chamber was added and the porch rebuilt. The tower restoration took place in 1906 and then in 1913, to designs by W D Caröe, the church was restored. Caröe found that the C15 west window had been re-set up side down. Medieval openings were unblocked, the church was re-floored and the porch, vestry and organ chamber were re-roofed, chairs replaced pews
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 103828 Abbeys & Priories of Medieval Wales Janet Burton and Kate Stöber 2015
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
This is a church of nave and chancel in one with a large west tower, a south porch a north vestry and an organ chamber. It was built with rubble stone with late medieval old red sandstone dressings with some limestone and Roman tiles, yellow oolite from 1880 and more old red sandstone from 1880 and 1913, all under plain tile roofs. The tower has a south east square stair tower buttressed by the south west corner of the nave. The tower had a battered base with a string course above, a C15 west doorway reopened in 1906, with corbelling above. The top of the tower has large gargoyle spouts and battlements which are taller on the stair tower.
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 103828
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 whole interior shows an impressive width. There is a pointed barrel vault at the base of the tower with a room above (possibly a priest’s room) and then a ringing room. The nave roof is of 11bays, possible C17, with 12 close spaced collar trusses with arched braces, straight braces and wishbone struts of the collars. The chancel has a pine boarded ceiling of 1880 of 8x6 panels, a shallow cornice with bosses. Both the nave and chancel are plastered but retain traces of wall paintings. These are pre-Reformation with a chevron border and traces of a polychrome figure, the other has text overlying an earlier red-yellow border and is thought to be C16/C17. From 1880 there is a broad segmental arch to the organ chamber and vestry. A single step up from the nave leads into the chancel which has tiled floors, here the floor has been raised as there an earlier east window at floor level. Made from a red conglomerate is a c15 stone font with an octagonal bowl which is chamfered beneath and which sits on a C20 stem. The altar table and credence date to C17. The pulpit is by Caröe, made from timber it is octagonal on a tapering base. The organ of 1880 is by Bevington & Sons of Soho, it has painted pipes in a Gothic case. From the late C19 are the chancel stalls with cusped arcading to the fronts. From c1986 there is a brass, eagle lectern. The stained glass: the tower west window ‘The Sun’ in vibrant colours, John Petts, 1972; ‘Christ Healing the Sick’, in the style of Hardman, 1880; ‘St George tangled with a Nazi Swastika and a dachshund’, John Petts, 1965 to designs by Mary Halliday; a narrow window, ‘CARDI’ (Love thou), John Petts, 1972; ‘Feed my Lambs’, Kempe & Co, c1924; ‘Crucifixion with Revds Rhys Prichard and William Williams’, the figures on clear ground, Kempe & Co, c1924. There are two bells. One cast in 1684 by Henry I Bagley, the other of 1902 cast by Charles Carr.
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 103828 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.