The road signs welcoming the traveller to Talgarth claim that the town was the ancient capital of Brycheiniog.  Here in C5 a clas settlement was said to have been founded following the death of Gwendoline, daughter of King Brychan of Brycheiniog, Gwendoline having been martyred. Such is the stuff of legends.  On a more certain note Taglgarth was siezed by Bernard of Newmarch before 1088 during the Norman conquest and occupation of the area.  He then granted the church to Brecon Priory along with that at Llangorse.  During the C13 a new lordship was carved out of the vast lordship of Brecon, the main castle being at Bwlch in the Usk valley, Talgarth was the principal town, first mentioned as a borough in 1286 although by 1309 it was already showing signs of decline.  The church plan was cruciform - a design commonly associated with the mother church  of the pre-conquest era.  By 1400 it consisted of a nave and chancel.  Glynne visited in 1851 and stated that the church tower had a 'battlement absurdly whitewashed, the nave also was whitewashed and the transept had been entirely moderized. Extensive restoration was carried out by Thomas Nicholston in 1873. In the C20 George Pace constructed the 'spider like' electrical light fittings similar in pattern to those found in Llandaff Cathedral, St Teilo's church near Abergavenny and elsewhere.  However, the fittings here are in wood whereas elsewhere they are normally found in wrought metal.

In 1735 Howell Harris was converted by the preaching of the Revd Pryce Davies.  Harris in turn while preaching in the churchyard converted William Williams Pantycelyn who was at that time studying medicine in Llanigon.  Daniel Rowlands, one of the three greats of the Methodit revival is also associated with the church (if only through his association with Harris and Williams).  (In the spilt with Harries and Rowlands, Harris sided with the Wesley brothers while the others developed the Welsh Calvinist Methodist church.)

References

Cadw Listings Notice

Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013

Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports

CPAT Brecknockshire Churches Survey

Kelly’s Directory of Monmouthshire and South Wales 1890

The early plan of the church was that of a cruciform.  The modern church has a nave, divided by pillars down the centre (or perhaps better described as a south aisle), a north vestry - where a trancept would have been, south porch and dominating the church a C15 west tower with a stepped base and cusped belfry light, divided into three stages by moulded strings (as at Llanfrynach and Llanfeugan).  The building was constructed with laminated rubble slabs of  Devonian Red sandstone, small to large at lower levels with  a greyer sandstone higher up and at the higher level some brown sandstone appears, the mixture suggesting the incorporation of medieval stone work into later building work.  The quoins are in grey and red sandstones.  The roof is of Welsh slate with simple ceramic ridge tiles, there are cross finials at the east end of the chancel and of the south aisle and on the porch.  The complex tower has a battlemented parapet above the bell stage, the window dressings are generally in yellow sandstone, at the top is a weathervane and an excessive weather cock.  A tower stair of the C15 is built into the north wall.  The windows in the church vary from three windows of two light with cinquefoil heads and Y-tracery and chamfered dressings, to two windows dressed in olive green sandstone probably inserted by the Victorians.  On the north wall of the nave is a blocked late C16 doorway.

References

Cadw Listings Notice

Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013

Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports

CPAT Brecknockshire Churches Survey

The church is generally plastered and whitewashed thoughout save for the porch, ground floor of the tower and the window and door dressings.  The porch has a flagged floor under an arch-braced roof resting on decorated wall plates.  Entry to the nave is through a broad, four-centred arch in brown sandstone.  The tower is now used as a vestry although the ceiling has holes in it for bell ropes.  The nave has a tiled floor with wood under the benches.  Here the roof is C19 with braced collars with wood panelling above the rafters and ornamented wall plates, three large twisted metal rods act as tie bars just above the eaves level.  The nave was rebuilt (c1400)  to incorporated a four-bay arcafe with a single-bay chancel arcade.  The chancel arch is carried on stilted and bratticed corbels of large heads of bishop and king.  There are wall mounted brass plaque, crucifix and metal relief of the Last Supper Oak Communion Rails with decorative metal supports.  The chancel is two steps up from the nave and two more steps reach the altar.  It has a wagon roof  of twenty-four panels with decoratd bosses amd decorated wall plates - all Victorian.  The south aisle was in the past divided off as the Francis chapel.  The fittings: Modern oak table, A simple yet elegant oak reredos locally carved by Mr W D Griffiths, Carved oak pedestal pulpit, Victorian limestone font arcaded and moulded bowl on octagonal shaft with quatrefoils.  There are six bells dated 1724 by Rudhall. These bells are inscribed: 1 Rudhall made us.  2 Let us ring for the Church of the King.  3 & 5 Peace and good neighbourhood.  4  Prosperity to the church.  5 Rees Williams Esq. Church warden  There is also a large pipe organ given in memory of Joyce Watkins.  The stained glass - the aisle east window is by R J Newbery c 1900 'The Good Shepherd' in richly detailed Netherlandish style, The East window is by Celtic Studios - effective acid colours and angular leadwork, there is another in the south aisle by the same firm. of the same date.

References

Cadw Listings Notice

Buildings of Wales – Powys 2013

Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports

A National Bell Register - George Dawson's Website - Homestead

CPAT Brecknockshire Churches Survey