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 Abbey is across the river Neath some 2km north west of Neath town centre via the A474 and A4230 which is New Road and the church is on the hill above St Johns Terrace which is New Road.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 170 Historic Wales Listing notice 82344
This is a description of the ground plan of the church.
80ft x 37ft
Reference
Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004
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 design for a new church was created by Robert Cook Saunders in 1848 but modified and executed by Egbert Moxham of Neath. It was built at a cost of £1050 partially defrayed by a ‘second parliamentary grant’ £125 and an Incorporated church Building Society grant of £150, the rest being raised by public subscription. The church was consecrated on28 November 1850. In 1865-6 a north aisle was added and in 1881 the church was restored by EM Bruce Vaughan who removed the square box pews and replaced them with pitch pine seating and choir stalls adding a tile pavement marble pulpit, font and reredos and incorporated Porritt’s hot air heating system. The contractor was Messrs Thomas, Watkins and Jenkins, the cost was £1300 and the church reopened 6 December 1881. A marble altar was added in 1936.
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Historic Wales Listing notice 82344 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church was built in the early Decorated Gothic style from Welsh sandstone rubble and bath stone ashlar dressings beneath a two-colour banded slate roof. There is a nave with lean-to aisles – the aisles partly overlapping the lower chancel, a south porch, west bellcote and a north vestry. The door has very ornate iron scroll hinges and cover strips inside. The lofty nave is lighted by a narrow clerestory.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Historic Wales Listing notice 82344 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004
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.
There are plastered walls and small high clerestory windows and a 4-bay arcade of plain chamfered pointed arches on alternate ashlar octagonal and round columns with a thicker ashlar pier between the first and second arches on the south side. The roof is of a thin scissor-trusses design sitting on hammer beams carried by long wall posts down to small decoratively carved corbels. The west end has a Gothic dado panelling. The aisles have lean-to roofs with diagonal braces from carved corbels on the arcade walls. At the west end of the south aisle is a early to mid C20 oak baptistry possibly the work of W D Caröe while the 1927 organ is at the western end. There is a pointed chancel arch above two steps up, two steps lead to the vestry while one leads to the sanctuary which has encaustic tiles. The ornate marble font, pulpit and reredos c1870-80 show a lavish colour in the marble, the font marble has a veined octagonal bowl and the principal faces are ornamented with carved quatrefoils in roundels and have four marble spheres in the corners each with two marble ring shafts. The leaf upper cornice, moulded base with nail head and leaf carvings are supported by marble columns with a quatrefoil central pier with four columns around. The 1936 altar has 5-bay cusped pointed arcading with marble shafts and inset motifs in matt-glazed tiles of 4 shield bearing angels and, in the centre, the risen Christ. It has an alabaster top with a carved leading edge. Behind is the reredos with wall cladding. The reredos is of 3-bays each with short marble shafts to a cusped low pointed arcade, mosaic angels in cusped heads over a mosaic fried ‘Glory to God’ and with fine square mosaic patterns between column shafts with ‘HIS’, ‘Lamb of God’ and Alpha-Omega’ motifs. The First World war memorial chancel screen is in oak in the Perpendicular Gothic style in 3-bays with traceried heads to the openings, a carved frieze with bosses and cresting together with a cross above. The C19 twisted metal altar rails have standards with Gothic leaf scrolls. There is a brass eagle lectern on a cast-iron conical base. The C19 pitch pine Gothic door to the porch are half glazed with patterned coloured glass and the symbols of the four Evangelists. The stained glass: There are five windows from the 1960s by Celtic studios; ‘An Angel on a Tomb’, Clayton & Bell, c1863 and probably by the same firm High Victorian Gothic style, figures on red grounds, ‘Christ teaching, the Resurrection and Suffer the Children’ with 3 scenes below and Christ belling on the top, c1870. The bell was cast by Bowen of London.
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Historic Wales Listing notice 82344 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004 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.