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.
In the hamlet of Cheriton lies to the east of Llanmadoc. Both communities lie on the north western end of the Gower Peninsula west of Swansea. Cheriton is about 24 km west of the Swansea City Centre.
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.
Cheriton church was the C13 successor of the Landimore church granted by de Turberville to the Knights Hospitallers of Slebech in the C12. It contains good Early English craftsmanship of non-provincial character. The church originally consisted of nave, tower and chancel in line, the central position of the tower perhaps indicating an unfulfilled intention to add transepts. The tower is crowned with a saddleback roof, as found on several other Gower churches, but it is set back from the parapets so the defensive character of the tower is not compromised. A large south porch was also added, but rebuilt in the C19. Mediaeval painted plaster was discovered during the restoration of c.1875, but destroyed without being recorded in detail. English and Latin inscriptions were found in the chancel; they overlay stencilled patterns of vines, which in turn overlay other stencilled lines and trails. Passages of Scripture were found in the nave. Parts of the rood beam were found in the floor. A first restoration was carried out in c.1846 under the Rev W L Collins. He removed the old 'inconvenient pews' in favour of open sittings, so that an extra 30 seats were achieved. His statement that the 'poor' would no longer have to sit in the 'tower end of the church' shows the tower-base till then functioned as part of the nave. He also repaired the roof. Glynne, visiting in 1861, complained only of a bad modern window east of the porch. It was a large window, replaced by a much smaller one in the later restoration. He also mentioned a 'new' western window of two lights. He interpreted the space beneath the tower as the Chorus Cantorum. The Rev J D Davies was appointed curate in 1860 and subsequently rector. He commissioned the main restoration of the church in 1874-5, at his own expense of £1200, to the design of John Prichard, Llandaff diocesan architect. Pritchard added the north vestry and lobby and replaced the two windows mentioned by Glynne with smaller ones. Mr Davies was a pioneering high-churchman concerned to achieve the proper setting for ritual, and introduced a surpliced choir; he was also a noted craftsman in woodcarving, and with his own hands carved many items including the altar frontal, the communion rails, and the choir stalls, in a repetitious, elaborate, shallow-relief style. Further restoration was carried out in 1934. The choirstalls only survive now as panels flanking the choir or pseudo-crossing in the tower base, the seats having been destroyed by rot and removed c.1992.
The church was listed at Grade I for its architectural interest as a remarkable small example of a C13 church planned with a central tower, which has escaped excessive restoration; it has impressive mediaeval carpentry and carved stonework and fine late C19 wood carving by the Rev J D Davies.
References
Quinquennial Inspection Reports
Cadw Listing Notice
Buildings of Wales - Glamorgan
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
A simple plan, a massive tower stands between the chancel and the nave, a south porch and north vestry were added in 1875. The tower is crowned with a saddleback roof but is set back from the parapets so the defensive character of the tower was not compromised.
Cadw Listings Notice
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001
Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports
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 porch has collared and arch braced rafters with a chequered floor of black and red quarry tiles. The nave has an impressive barrel roof in four bays with arch bracing to every rafter, moulded cornices and five moulded longitudinal beams. There are C19 decorative paintings and carved foliate bosses carved by Revd J D Davies. There is a quarry tile floor. The chancel has a barrel ceitling also painted blue with gold stars, on richly carved cornices. The bosses and cornices were carved by Davies. Outside the sanctuary the floor is of red and black chequer quarry tiles, within the sanctuary it is flagstone with two marble floors . There is a small C19 piscina. An ancient altar slab has been incorporated into the floor behind the present altar.
There were once wall paintings which have now gone. English and Latin inscriptions were found in the chancel, they overlaid the stencilled patterns of vines, which in turn overlaid other stencilled lines and trails.
The choir stalls, altar frontal and pew ends were carved by Revd J D Davies.
Qunquennial Inspection Reports
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.