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.
Llansteffan sits on the Taf estuary 13.5km south east of St Clears and 13km south west of Carmarthen along the B4312. The church is to be found at the southwest corner of Church Street and High Street.
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.
A church dedicated to St Ystyffan was probably founded here c650. After the arrival of the Normans the church was rebuilt, the nave being C13, the transepts C15, a porch was added c2550 and a chapel was added to the north transept c1700. The church was reroofed and a gallery inserted by J L Collard 1844-5. Further renovations were carried out 1884-5. In 1894 E Collier repaired the tower put in the present ceilings but his gallery has gone. Renovations took place in the 1920s. Between 1995 and 1997 renovations took place and all the roofs were re-slated and the tower re-pointed. The dedication of the church was changed in Norman times, in c1170 the church was granted to the Knights Hospitaler of Order of St John at Slebech by Geoffrey Marmion, the grant included the fisheries and ferry across the Taf, the grant was confirmed 1231-47 and in 1290 it was re-granted to the Prior of the Knights Hospitaller in England. By 1833 the living was a perpetual curacy in the joint patronage of William Lloyd Esq and a Carmarthen banking firm. In 1975 traces of wall paintings in the transepts were found consisting of three superimposed layers, each in a fragmentary condition. On the west wall of the south transept was the remains of the Apostles’ Creed in Welsh and a black letter inside a yellow and black cabled border. Below the creed were two earlier layers thought to pre-date the Reformations. On the west wall of the north transept was a painted harp and the remains of a larger harp, with only the strings and hand surviving. Reference
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 102186
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The cruciform church has a west tower, nave and a lower chancel, north and south transepts, a south porch, and northeast and south chapels. It was constructed from limestone rubble but all except the tower have been whitewashed. There are slated roofs with shouldered gables with stone copings. The tower in coursed rubble is tapered but unbuttressed with a battered plinth beneath a raised string course level with arch springing to the doors. The projecting embattled parapet is on stone corbels and to the north east is a higher stair turret. There are single trefoiled louvred bell opening on the north, east and south faces with a smaller arched headed opening to the west.
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 nave is of three bays while the chancel is of two bays, all have rendered walls with broad, curved ribbed plastered ceilings and crude plastered pointed arches without mouldings, splays or capitals. In the north transept is a hagioscope or “squint” to the altar. The north transept ceiling has a small stucco rose with margins and light foliage to the centre dating from late C17 to early C18. The north east chapel was added in the mdi C16 and has a two-bay arcade of roughly four-centred arches on large square piers with simple caps. The C19 roof is of bolted timber trusses and double purlins. There are large stone corbels above the arcade to the chancel. The porch contains a stoup and niche above the inner door formerly for the image of the Virgin Mary. There is a C12 font with a large scalloped bowl on a later rounded shaft sitting on a C15 base reused from an old tomb decorated with square rosettes. In 1869 Mr Griff Davies made a new freestone font in imitation of the originals. The large pipe organ of 1887 is by Wedlake of London and has gilded decorations to the pipes and timber panelling. The C19 pulpit is carved, of three sides with two lights and quatrefoil blind tracery to the panels and a carved cornice. The stained glass: ‘The east window’ John Petts who lived in Llansteffan and it is one of the best modern windows in the region and in varying pinks and oranges, 1980; ‘The Risen Christ Appearing to St Mary Magdalene’, Celtic Studios, 1953; ‘St Stephen’, G Maile & Son, 1957; ‘The Good Samaritan’, John Hardman & Co, 1881; ‘Faith and Charity’, c1896; ‘The Angel Greets the Three Women at the Empty Tomb’, c1885. The bells: a peal of eight bells by Mears & Stainbank date from 1875 and were donated. In 1552 there had been three bells but by 1672 there was only one bell.
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 102186 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.