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.
Neath is 64 km north west of Cardiff along the M4 and 14km north east of Swansea via Jersey Marine. The church is in the centre of the town surrounded by pedestrianised roads making Neath the most attractive of all town centres in south Wales. The C19 boundary wall was constructed from narrow, regularly coursed, tall, slender rusticated dressed stone with crenelated gate piers with Gothic limestone caps. There is a cambered ironwork overthrow, with scrolled insets bearing a central lantern bracket with finial. The ironwork gates have palmette-like finials and dog bars.
Reference
AA Route Planner OS Map 170 Coflein NPRN 404836
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.
Late 13th century foundation of St Thomas the Martyr, re-named St Thomas the Apostle at the Reformation, it has an aisled nave with a west tower of c1340 which was raised in 1691.The nave was largely rebuilt and aisles added 1730, and there was a general restoration in 1874. This restoration was carried out by John bacon Fowler of Swansea and Brecon: the large west gallery of 1839 was removed and the tower arch opened out, much of the church was re-fenestrated; the old-fashioned high-backed pews were taken out and new boarded floor laid for and beneath new pitch pine pews; the chancel, nave and tower passages were paved with encaustic tiles by Godwin’s of Luggwardine Herefordshire; the side aisles were covered with Vals de Travers asphalt; the chancel was cleared of its old fittings and re-furnished with new stalls in pitch-pine with brass gas standards by Mr Shrivell of Castle Street Neath; the organ had been in the west gallery was moved to the north aisle. The parapet of the tower was rebuilt at this time and raised to make room for the town clock. The contractor for all this work was John Thomas of Neath and the cost was £1300. The church was re-opened after restoration on 27th August 1874. Reference
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004 Coflein NPRN 404836
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The three-stage tower was constructed from Pennant sandstone rubble with freestone dressings. The crenelated parapet sits on corbels and waterspouts come from each corner and there is a clockface on the west wall. There is a 5-bay aisled nave, a chancel with a vestry in its southeast corner and a Venetian east window. The exterior has been cement rendered.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004 Coflein NPRN 404836
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 C19 nave roof has boarded arch-braced trusses with plastered aisle ceilings. The regular arcade piers rise to round arches, the tops of the piers having moulded capitals with toothed ornament. There is no chancel arch. The altar rails are early C18 with canon barrel balusters while the reredos in C19, originally in St David’s Church Pelas. The font is a handsome stone piece of 1730 with a circular bowl boldly gadrooned. On the east wall of the north aisle are a fine set of Royal Arms dated 1731. At the west end of the south aisle is a C10 incised wheel cross fragment formerly in Llanilltyd churchyard. The stained glass ‘The Showmen’s window’, Elizabeth Edmundson, 1994; ‘Memorial to Donald Richard Coleman’, Elizabeth Edmundson, 1992; ‘St Cecilia Window’, Glantawe Studios – designer Colwyn Morris, 1997; ‘Martyrdom of St Thomas Backet’, Frank Roper, 1971; ‘Scenes form the New Testament’, Mayer & Co, 1909; Prophets and Evangelsits’; ‘The Ascension’, c1870. There is a ring of six bells cast by Abraham Rudhall in 1721, and a further unused bell described as Spanish.
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004 Coflein NPRN 404836 A National Bell Register - George Dawson's Website - Homestead Stained Glass in Wales
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.