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.
Set among trees and approached from the west by a path from Oxwich village the church is some 18 km west south west from Swansea City Centre on the Gower Peninsula
The name/dedication of the church to which the plan refers.
A brief description of the plan. eg. who created it and where it came from.
The date the plan was created.
The details of any copyright are displayed here.
The name of the person who inputted the plan.
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.
The Norman arch indicates a C12 origin for the nave and chancel, but the unusual smallness of the chancel raises the possibility of an earlier structure being incorporated. The nave is evidently of two builds, with a marked change in width at the centre, which is only apparent externally, the east part of the nave walls being much thicker than the west part. The nave may have been extended west at the time the tower was added, perhaps C14; another probably C14 feature is a tomb inserted in the chancel, thought to be of a member of the de la Mare or Penrice families, with his lady, an heiress. A small north window was later added to the chancel, destroying one of the tomb finials. A stone beside the west window of the south side records the names of Henry Lucas and John Tyler, Ward[ens], 1699; this might be the date of a partial rebuild or rendering. The church underwent much C19 restoration; the Decorated style east window was described by Glynne in 1848 as 'modern'. In 1850 Freeman described the church as 'grievously disfigured by the insertion of broad staring square-headed windows, of a mean type of Perpendicular.' Four C19 windows of Tudor form appear to be those referred to in 1850, as they are repaired in similar oolitic stone to the large window known to be part of the 1892 work costing about £1000 at the expense of Miss Talbot of Penrice Castle; this also included a large central window in the north side of the nave, the re-opening of a small window in the chancel, re-roofing and re-flooring, and the addition of the vestry, to the design of J Waller of Gloucester. The altar was carved and donated by the Rev J B Davies. There has been some suggestion that the church was nearer to an original Oxwich settlement which is to be found under the sea.
References
Cadw Listings Notice
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001
Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The west tower is the first feature to be seen of the Random rubble stone church with limestone and Bathstone dressing, lime mortar parging to tower took place in 2002. The roofs are in natural slates. The building was limewashed about 1995. There is a Nave, and Chancel with a Vestry to south side of Chancel.and a west 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.
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.
Two memorials tones discovered in the nave in 1891, one refers to William de la Lake Rector of Oxwich 1320 - 1323, the other to 'Hugh' pious rector of St Illtyd.
Altar table was carved from teak by Revd J D Davies Rector of Llanmadoc and Cheriton, and presented to the church by him in the 1890's.
Plain panelled reredos Round oak altar rail on cast iron supports.
Octagonal timber panelled pulpit, moulded top rail, white limestone base with four steps.
Legend suggests that the ancient font was brought to Oxwich by St Illtyd, it is hewn out of a block of Sutton stone, mounted in 1928 on three rough Sutton stone blocks set into a circular base of Sutton stone; commissioned by Lady Blythswood to commemorate the Christening of her first grandchild Christopher Methuen-Campbell.
Stained glass in the south wall shows St Francis preaching to the birds and was given in memory of Alice Edith Fry and Lindsay Bowing Fry by their son and daughter in 1969; also 'St David and St Illtyd' 1893 given by Miss Talbot.
The ceiling decoration of the chancel was painted in 1931 by Leslie Young, the scenic artist of Sadler's Wells and paid for by Dame Lillian Bayliss, the director of the Old Vic, who had spent many holidays at Oxwich. The ceiling is a series of panels of a sky scene with clouds and a rainbow pattern C14 tomb under an ogee canopy, a knight and lady, his feet resting on a lion (damage suggests that the effigies have been removed from elsewhere.) Assumed to be members of the De la Mare family of Oxwich castle, possibly the members of the family who were drowned in Oxwich Bay.
A Single bell C14 with an inscription around it which bears comparison to that on the Rhossili Bells. The Electric organ by G P England and there is also an Eisteddfod Chair
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.