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.
Abergavenny is on the A40, 148 km west of London and 30km norht of Newport up the A4042. The church is on the west side of the town north of the A40.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 171
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.
Built in 1879 by the Marquis of Abergavenny as a Chapel-of-ease to St. Mary's Parish Church, to serve the then growing community on his Nevill Hall estate land. The design is also striking as this church is aisled and has a spire to the north-west, both features of which are uncommon for this type of building, where the utilitarian materials normally matched a box-shaped, single-cell, plan (e.g. mission churches). In 1958 Christchurch was renovated and the exterior clad in timber, giving it its present distinctive character. This is an ambitious example of what was presumably an attempt to rid the church of the "hideous and comfortless" (J W Hopkins of Worcester) image that such iron mission buildings had.
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
Corrugated sheeting and iron structure, now with overall timber horizontally boarded cladding (see History), brick plinth, shingled roofs. The church is aisled and has a spire to the north-west, the east end (facing the street) is also stepped down from the nave with crucifix finials to both gable ends. The windows have diamond-leaded glazing but are of several types. Two-light cusped windows with quatrefoil above to aisles, quatrefoil windows to clerestory (twelve to each side), 3-light east window and Early English style triple-lancet west window; square-headed 2-light windows with cusped transom above to vestries at east end. Flatter arched doorways to west aisle ends and brick chimney to south-west. The tower is square and the belfry has a 2-light cusped window with quatrefoil above to each face; shingled broach spire giving a Home Counties appearance.
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.
Unlike the exterior the interior was originally timber boarded. Contains unusual and well detailed timber arcade of 4-bays with quatrefoil-section piers; these also carry wall-shafts that rise up to the four scissor truss roof which has iron tie-rods. Timber used in a church interior in this way is fairly rare. An early example was John Prichard's St. Clement, Briton Ferry in 1864-6 and John Douglas, the Chester architect, adopted this idea in the 1870s and later (e.g. St. Paul's, Chester and St. Matthew's, Buckley). The easternmost bay of the arcade overlaps with the chancel, containing choir-stalls and an organ bay to the aisle; single bay sanctuary. Painted inscription around east window and evidence of a similar one having existed on chancel arch. Some clerestory windows have coloured glass. Furnishings include octagonal pulpit and Gothic organ case. The doors are diagonally boarded and the slight changes in the lap-boarding relate to restoration work in 1958.
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.