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.
Please enter a number
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.
Bettws is 9km north of Bridgend along the A4064, the church is in a hilltop position at the centre of the village.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 170 Historic Wales Listing notice 18626
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.
There may have been a church here in the early medieval times – the original graveyard boundary being roughly circular indicating a possible clas community. The present church is C12 and can be identified from a charter of the Bishop of Llandaff who died in 1183. In the C15 and C16 the church was remodelled and was associated firstly with Tewkesbury Abbey and from the C13 with Margam Abbey. (The Clare family – Lords of Glamorgan had adopted Tewkesbury Abbey and Bettws was part of their land holding in Glamorgan.) In the later Middle Ages Bettws was a literary centre with two C15 poet Dafydd Fychan and Llewelyn Goch y Dant living in the parish. A new vestry was constructed in 1886 to designs by E W Burnett of Tondu. In 1892-3 major restoration took place, due to the dilapidated condition of the roof, by G E Halliday of Cardiff. His work was in the Perpendicular style, he renewed the nave roof, removed the west gallery, rebuilt the chancel arch which had been taken down before he was commissioned and repaired the chancel floor, the vestry was taken down and replaced in the new north aisle. The church was fitted with Porritt’s hot-air heating system. Sculpture and carving were executed by William Clarke of Llandaff. The contractor was John W Rodgers of Llandaff. The work cost £2000 partially paid by Miss Olive Talbot of Margam. Much of the medieval woodwork remains in situ.
Reference
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Historic Wales Listing Notice 18626 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004 Three Chevrons Red Paul R Davies Coflein 409140
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church has a medieval nave surmounted by a west bellcote. There is a south porch and narrower and lower chancel, a C19 north aisle and a north east vestry. It was built from rubble stone with ashlar dressings, the bellcote being wholly ashlar. The C19 work being in rockfaced sandstone again with ashlar dressings. The roof is fitted with clay ashlar tiles with apex crosses. The bellcote stands on a shallow stone base supported on the west by corbels and has square headed openings on the north, east and south and stone louvres on the west. There are gargoyles on each upper corner and there is a corbelled base to a pyramidal roof, it is surmounted by a fish weathervane.
importance Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Historic Wales Listing notice 18626 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.
The porch has an original roof truss while on the benches are the marks made by the sharpening of weapons. The planked door has metal fittings under an arched doorway. The nave is of 5-bays with an arch braced roof of which 3 of the trusses are original with carved wooden bosses and corbels depicting the instruments of the Passion. The north aisle is of 3-bays of pointed moulded arches defined by bands of voussoirs, half round shafts and narrow foliage capitals. The wide moulded pointed chancel arch is the full width of the chancel. The rood loft had been destroyed to make way for the north aisle. The chancel has retained its medieval roof trusses. There is a west tower arch supporting the bellcote. The font is medieval, tub shaped and sitting on a wonderfully geometrical base. The pulpit is the work of Halliday. There are a set of most unusual painted wooden monuments to John Bradford wo lived between 1690 and 1780 who lived at Y pandy or Bradford Cottages near Plas-y-Betws, he was a weaver, fuller and dyer who became a prominent member of the Glamorgan Literary Renaissance of the C18. He became president of the Gorsedd of Bards in 1760 and was a teacher of Iolo Morgannwg. There are two bells cast by Charles Carr in 1891.
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Historic Wales Listing notice 18626 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.