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.
Margam is to be found 7km south east of Port talbot via Harbour Way and the A4241 and the A48, the church it at the end of a short lane running north east off the A48 and the stones Museum is within the churchyard.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 170 Cadw Listing notice 14148
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 Christian Centre as evidenced by the collection of early inscribed stones housed in the stone museum. A Cistercian Abbey was founded here in 1147 by Robert of Gloucester, Earl of Glamorgan. It is C12 nave of the Abbey which now forms the Parish church. Most of the rest of the Abbey is now ruinous following the visit of Henry VIII’s commissioners in 1536-7. Restoration took place in 1805 when the north and south aisles were rebuilt under the direction of Charles Wallis, an architect from Swansea. The work altered the external appearance markedly, the Norman windows were rebuilt, the roof was lowered and the bellcote replaced by a modern gable. The buttresses were extended upwards and capped by Italianate campaniles. The cost was £6490. 5. 11d. Further restoration took place in 1872-3 at the inspiration of the church warden Theodore Talbot. He was a man strongly influenced by the Tractarian Movement and who had been engaged social work with the incumbent of St Alban’s church in Holborn London. This resulted in new seats, ceiling and pulpit. When work began, Theodore remarked ‘Let us begin by demolishing the Squire’s and the Parson’s pews; there must be no vested interests here’. The roof of the church was repaired in 1899 at a cost of £1000.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Cadw Listing notice 14148 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004 Coflein NPRN 302498
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
A nave and chancel in one with flanking lean-to aisles. It was built from Sutton stone and has renewed slate covered roofs. The west front retains its Norman style while the remainder of the church is Romanesque. The result is much elaborate intricate architectural embellishment. The south gable has a cross finial.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Cadw Listing notice 14148 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004 Stained Glass in Wales Coflein NPRN 159
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.
Beside the nave are six-bay Norman arcades with plain cruciform piers and round arches which have chamfered impost bands and relieving arches. There are C19 quadripartite vaulted roofs in each bay. Above the nave and chancel is a shallow pitched timber-panelled ceiling supported on a corbel table. Two steps up lead from the nave into the chancel and there are ornate iron railings with scrollwork and large fleur-de-lys finials. The reredos is of pink marble with a blind arcade of round arches. Dividing the chancel from the chapels, at the east end of the aisles are half-glazed Gothic screens with intersecting tracery. The font, dating from the restoration of 1810 is pink-grey marble from Caen, the bowl has a dog-tooth frieze to the rim, a pink marble stem and a tiered stone base. A second font dating from the 1872 restoration is a highly polished one of crinoid limestone it to be found at the end of the south aisle. (Has it replaced the other font?) The polygonal pulpit is also Caen stone dating to the restoration of 1872, it is decorated with blind round arches and coloured marble inlay and has a red marble stem. The ornately carved mahogany choir stalls have Romanesque detail including arcades and are the work of William Clarke of Llandaff in 1904. The seven lamps positioned before the altar are replicas of those in St Alban’s Church Holborn (note that church was destroyed by enemy action.) The stained glass: ‘Virgin and Child with St Bernard and St David’, designed by Edward Coley Burne-Jones for Morris, Marshall, Falkner & Co, 1873 -the figures are set against pale quarry backgrounds – in his account book Burne-Jones called the cartoons for the figures of the saint’s of colossal size and excellence – entirely priceless- I make no charge for the genius displayed in this work but the trouble of lifting the cartoon about during the work - £15; ‘Christ in Majesty with Angels’, designed by William Aikman for James Powell & Sons, 1904; ‘I am the Bread of Life’, Frank Roper, 1970s or 1980s; ‘Christ with Mary of Bethany, Clayton & Bell, 1864.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Cadw Listing notice 14148 Stained Glass in Wales Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004
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.