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.
Burry Port is on Carmarthen Bay on the A484 8km west of Llanelli and 8km south of Kidwelly. The church is prominently sited on the north east side of the town on church road, north of the railway. The tower is a local landmark, visible also from the north Gower coast.
Reference
AA Route Planner Cadw Listings Notice OS Map 159
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 church was built in 1875-77 to a plan of 1860 by the Bath firm of Wilson, Willcox and Wilson. The costs of the church were borne by the Elkington family whose father, George, was instrumental in getting the church built for his English-speaking Anglican workers who did not have a suitable church in their own language. The Elkington family had been co-founder of the Pembrey Copperworks Company beside the harbour. The land was donated locally at a point where four parcels of land met and the church was built, by his five sons, as a memorial to George after his death in 1865. Mrs Howard Elkington laid the foundations stone on 6th July 12875 with a coin of the realm and a parchment telling the story of the foundation of the church placed inside the stone. The church was opened by Basil Jones Bishop of St David’s 9th December 1877 – it was his suggestion that the church be dedicated to St Mary.
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 414578
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church, of nave and lower chancel, south porch and a south-east tower with a spire was constructed, in a Gothic Revival style with a tinge of Early French, from local rock-faced brown stone with Bath stone dressings. It has a slate roof behind coped gables on moulded kneelers with finials at each end. The tower is of three stages, the bell stage has 2-light openings with ringed colonette, leaf capitals and pointed lights under a continuous hood. The broach spire is constructed from ashlar and has lucarnes in the cardinal directions. There is a stair tower and at the east end a niche with a dragon.
Reference Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Stained Glass in Wales Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 414578 Welsh Stone Forum National Museum of Wales Number 8
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 nave has an arch of 4-bays in the early French Gothic style with round piers and foliage capitals with square abaci and a clerestory sill band all beneath a crown post roof. The chancel arch has an inner order on moulded corbels and across the arch is a screen base of stone with pierce quatrefoils. On the south side of the chancel is an organ recess, the organ was built by Halmshaw of Birmingham, beneath a tall arch the chancel roof is of closely spaced rafters with scissor braces. The tower rises above this recess. Dating from 1927 is a late Gothic style reredos made by Mowbray & Co, it has 4 canopied niches with figures of St David, the Virgin and Child, St Mary Magdalene and St Illtyd and is flanked by simpler wooden panelling with brattishing, it is all in the manner of Comper. The polygonal font has marble shafts about the stem and an alabaster bowl. Sitting on 4 squat clustered shafts is the stone pulpit, each of the facets have blind arches with diaper infill in low relief. On the north wall of the chancel is a memorial brass plaque by F Osborne and Co of London to the designs of Herbert Wauthier – 1914-1918 war memorial. The stained glass: ‘The Ascension’, John Harman & Co, c1877; ‘The Church Triumphant’, Celtic Studios, 1978; ‘Christ Teaching His Disciples’, Celtic Studios, 1961; ‘Virgin and Child with St Illtyd’, Powell& Sons (Whitefriars) Ltd, 1949; ‘Christ with Mother and Children’, Celtic Studios, 1963; ‘Creation Window’, Janet Hardy, 2000. There are five bells reportedly given in memory of the five Elkington Brothers who built the church for their father. The bells were cast in 1877 by John Warner & Sons, the tenor bell weights 7cwt and all are in the key of B flat.
Buildings of Wales –Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion 1994 Cadw Listings Notice Coflein 414578 Stained Glass in Wales 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.