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.
Tenby is on the London to Pembroke Dock Railway and on the A4139 42km southwest of Carmarthen and 16 km east of Pembroke. The church of St Mary is on the south west side of the High Street just north west of Tudor Square. The church tower and spire make it a prominent landmark across a wide area.
Reference
AA Route Planner Cadw Listings Notice OS Map 158
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.
An early church was recorded on this site in c1210, it probably had a nave and chancel with a narrow south aisle. In the late c13 a tower on the south side of the chancel was added and the south aisle and chancel were rebuilt. In the C15 major rebuilding began with the creation of the north arcade and north aisle with a transeptal chapel to thew west of the tower and a south east chapel alongside the chancel with a two-bay arcade. The chancel was rebuilt with higher walls and extended east with the sanctuary raised over an undercroft, the chancel roof being dated to c1470. Reroofing of the nave followed with the removal of the chancel arch. Towards the end of the C15 the broach spire was added and a south and west porch added (the west porch was removed in 1831. Major repairs overseen by David Brandon took place between 1855 and 1869 beginning with the chancel roof repairs, the restoration of the south east chapel and the north porch was added in 1862-3, finally the nave roof was restored and between 1859 and 60 the churchyard was railed. J P Seddon rebuilt the south east vestry with the sacristy below together with a new east gable and the east end of the north east chapel was remodelled to match. The three west galleries were removed in 1887 and a new font was given to the church. In 1904 cottages obscuring the east end of the church were removed. A rood loft stair was discovered in 1905, in the tower. In the 1960s much work was carried out by Alban Caröe
Buildings of Wales –Pembrokeshire 2004 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 103686
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church was built with rubble stone with C19 ashlar tracery all under a slate roof and coped gables. It has an aisled nave, and chancel, north and south porches and a tower with a broach spire together with north east and south east chapels. The west door has an eroded Latin inscription: ‘Blessed be god in his gifts.’ The tower was built of coursed brown stone with battered walls and a south west stair tower. There are louvered-bell openings on each face at the top stage and above is a clock and a corbelled embattled parapet. The tall recessed bath stone octagonal spire rises above the roof of the tower.
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.
The interior has whitewashed plastered walls with ashlar dressings. Both nave and chancel have fine C15 roofs, the chancel roof is one of 15x6 panels is on 16 painted timber angel supporters with shields on each side sitting on 5-sided stone corbels. The nave roof is 17x6 panels with carved bosses and towards the east end a C15 painted carved figure of Christ surrounded by 4 angels, it is a wagon style roof. The minimal chancel arch is pointed with continuous mouldings cut into the soffit and dying into the walls. The sanctuary is reached up 10 steps and it has a Tudor-arched door into the south east vestry. There is a medieval altar slab restored to use in 1889. In the south east chapel, there is a C15 big, plain, octagonal font restored from its resting place in the churchyard. In the north aisle, given in 1887 is a late Gothic font with carved panels showing the Evangelist’s symbols and four scenes. It has an octagon spired font cover in oak with lucarnes a and dove finial. In the northeast chapel there is a screen removed from the chancel in 1892 which was made by Hems of Exeter in the Perpendicular style of five-bays with thickly traceried heads. The reredos in the same chapel is mid C20 carved wood with some gilding and in late medieval style figures of the Annunciation. In the same chapel are gothic timber rails. In the nave the pulpit dates from 1634, a timber construction of seven sides each with rusticated arches under shields, one of which has the date and an angel and sitting on a C129 base. The lectern dating from 1897 is made of brass, an eagle with oak steps and brass rails. The pews date from the 1850s-1860s which were stripped and limed in 1960s. The stalls are ornate oak with poppy-head finials, traceried panels and curved back seats at the west ends and date from 1903. The organ, by Vowles of Bristol dated from 1869, it was moved from the west gallery. In the south east chapel are C19 boards of the Ten Commandments. In the 1960 much of the woodwork was in limed oak by Alban Caröe: the sanctuary rails in the chancel and north east chapel, the inner south and north porches, the wall panelling at the west end and the screen to the west tower arch. Many of the polished memorials in the church are rich in productid brachiopods, others are rich in smaller brachiopods and some with a distinct forked spondylium. The stained glass: ‘Scenes from the Old and New Testaments’, William Wailes, 1856; ‘Faith, Hope and Charity’, 1927; ‘The Crucifixion with Soldiers, Saints and Virtues’, C E Kempe, 1920; ‘The Virgin Mary’, Karl Parsons, 1908; ‘St Nicholas’, W G Taylor, 1894; ‘Virgin and Child’, C E Kempe, 1917; ‘Armorial Window’, John Baker, 1985; ‘Receiving the Crown of Life’, Karl Parsons, 1917; ‘The Visitation’, John Hardman Studios, 1955. The church has a ring of 8 bells which were restored in 1888 when the tower clock was installed. Three of the bells were cast in 1888 by James Barwell, one by John Taylor & Co in 1951 and five by William Bilbie in 1789.
Buildings of Wales –Pembrokeshire 2004 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 103686 Welsh Stone Forum National Museum of Wales No.14 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.