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.
Mountain Ash is in the Cynon Valley at its confluence with the Pennar. The town is about 33km north west of Cardiff via the A470 and the A4059. The church is set beck from the junction of New Road (A4059 and Dyffryn Road.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 170 Historic Wales Listing notice 10897
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.
John Pollard Seddon of Prichard and Seddon, architects from Llandaff and London designed a new church in 1861-2 of a nave with a small chancel with three-sided apse, a small vestry on the north side with a slender octagonal bell turret over the west gable. This provided seating for 400 people, the contractor was H Williams of Llandaff, the cost was £2527 and the church was consecrated on 14 August 1862. The church was enlarged by John Prichard added a north aisle and new vestry to accommodate a further 152 people. The contractor was William Cullis of Hereford, the cost was £1000 and the consecration took place on 20 March 1884. A new chancel, vestry, organ chamber and tower were added by E M Bruce Vaughan of Cardiff in 1898. This increased the capacity of the church by a further 250 people. The contractor was Messrs Charles Jenkins & Sons of Porth, the cost was £3300 and the church reopened on 8 February 1889. A reredos was added in 1904 designed by Bruce Vaughan at a cost of £250.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Historic Wales Listing notice 10897 Church Building and Restoration in Victorian Glamorgan Geoffrey R Orrin 2004
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church was built as a complex High Victorian church in the French Gothic style with some ||early English (C13) style detailing. A chancel with an east organ chamber and transepts, west vestries with a tower in the angel, an aisled nave and a north west porch. It was built with snecked rubble masonry with pale freestone dressings, parapet gables with seating for finials, all beneath slate roofs. On the south front is a tall buttress with a niche containing a statue of St Margaret triumphant over Satan. The square south west tower Perhaps undersized for the church) has a short pyramidal spire with a weather vane all behind crenelated parapet. On the north west porch is an elaborately carved tympanum of Christ in a mandorla with angel supporters with a crocketed arch over.
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 chancel has a boarded and ribbed waggon roof with foliage paterae and angel supporters. On the lateral arches are carved faces of Lord and Lady Aberdare (excellent likenesses), Queen Victoria and the Bishop of Llandaff. The five-bay tabernacled reredos was designed by E M Bruce Vaughan had Caen stone figures seated under canopies on red and green marble shafts of red Ogwell and Irish green marble. The plinth under the bases of the arcades in wings is a red Mansfield stone. It shows God flanked, on his left by Aaron and Abraham while to the right Isaiah and St Peter. The chancel arch has tripartite responds with fillets. The six-bay nave has arcades with round piers with foliage and scallop capitals, double-chamfered arches and a plain waggon roof. The pulpit and lectern date from 1887-8 , the organ of 1914 was remodelled in 1952 to designs by Sir Percy Thomas. The stained glass: ‘Crucifixion with St Michael and Old Testament Subjects’, Robert J Newbery, 1900; ‘Virgin and Child with St Cecilia and St Margaret’, Mary Lowndes, 1917; ‘The Nativity’, Robert J Newbery, 1900; The Great Sacrifice’ James Clark, 1916; ‘Sir Galahad’, A J Davies, 1930; ‘The Risen Christ Appearing to St Mary Magdalene’, A J Davies, c1930; ‘Christ in Majesty with Angels’, A J Davies of the Bromsgrove Guild, 1924; ‘St Cecilia, Mary Lowndes, 1911; ‘Christ with a Child and Christ the Good Shepherd’, Robert J Newbery, c1900; ‘Christ the Good Shepherd’; ‘The Fruits of the Spirit’ c 1900; ‘St Illtud and St David’, Celtic Studios, 1960; ‘St Dyfrig and St Margaret’, G Maile & Son, c1945; ‘Christ Receiving the Sick’, Robert J Newbery’ c1900. There are six bells cast by Charles Carr in 1898.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001 Historic Wales Listing notice 10897 Stained Glass in Wales 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.