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.
Bishopston is now a commuter village on the edge of the Gower some 10 km southwest from Swansea City Centre. The church is best approached along the Swansea Bay Sea front as far as Blackpill and then taking the Gower turn there over Clyne Common. Situated in a wooded valley close to a stream the church is at the northern end of the village and seems to be built into the hillside.
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.
The Church is on the site of one of the earliest Christian Foundations in Wales AD 450-490 when St Teilo established a church hidden in a dell above the stream. The church belonged to the Bishop of Llandaff from 1130 until 1920, the current church is probably C12 or C13. The tower is thought to have been defensive, to protect the Anglo-Normans against the Welsh. The porch was added in 1851, along with a new west door and was part of the restoration by Thomas Penrice of Kilvrough. The church furnishings were replaced by Revd Peter Potter in 1896. Many of the windows are mid- late C19 and of yellow stone. The tower parapets were probably battlemented in C19. In 1927 a major restoration and refurbishing was undertaken by W D Caröe at a cost of £2600. The roof was thatch until 1831.
References
Cadw Listings Notice
Buildings of Wales – Glamorgan 2001
Church Quinquennial Inspection Reports
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church has a nave and chancel, with a south porch and a short thick-set west tower. It is constructed of rubble stone masonry under stone tile saddleback roofs. There is no particular style to the church but probably is a C12-C13 original build. The tower is unbuttressed with a corbel table and embattled parapets enclosing a pyramidal roof with a cupola. Within the tower is a west doorway under a pointed arch. The large clock on the west wall of 1850 is by C & G Mears and is said to have come from a Swansea Brewery. The porch provides entrance into the nave through panelled double doors. The north nave wall has a Decorated trefoil-headed lancet to the far left, there is a blocked round-headed doorway now buttressed flanked by C19 windows similar to those on the south wall and late C20 square windows to the far right. On the south side of the chancel is a blocked priest's door with 2-centred head left of centre, to its left is a small round-headed lancet and to the right a pair of similar lancets. The three-light east window is mid-late C19, Perpendicular in style with head-bosses to hoodmould. There is a single lancet to the north side with a shallow pointed head.
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.
A seven-bay arch-braced roof is probably C15 and covers the nave, the shallow-pointed chancel arch is slightly asymmetrical and shows evidence of a former rood screen. There is a panelled roof over the chancel. A short round tower arch leads to the west gallery up stone steps. The gallery has a panelled front. This gallery provides access to the organ (the organ by Blackett and Howden of Newcastle 1927 has been replaced with an electric organ) and to the first floor of the tower. There is a massive mediaeval font on a round stem with a lead lined square bowl and base. Also a pine altar table with ornately carved oak altar rails. The pulpit is also ornately carved in oak with cross detail. There is a brass eagle lectern. These fittings were from the W D Caröe restoration of 1927.
The stained glass in the east window shows 'The Crucifixion with St Teilo and St David' (Given in memory of men who died in the First World War. The window cost £142, paid for by public subscription with a donation from the Bishopston Sailors' and Soldiers' Fund), it is by Robert J Newbury 1929. ' On the south wall two lights show 'St Simon and St Jude' dated 1924. 'St Mary Magdalene and St Martha with local scenes' is by John Edwards 1969. A three-light window with an arch in the colours of the rainbow flowing out of a fountain in the central light, and local buildings in the outer lights with a Celtic-Christian wheel cross is shown in the upper central light celebrated the Millenium 2000 by Celtic Studios. On the south wall is 'The Candle' window by Glantawe Studio 1993. 'St Iudocus' the patron saint of the countryside was made in 1962. On the north wall of the nave 'St Teilo Riding a Stag' by John Edwards, also on that wall from the 1980's 'Angels' by John Edwards who also designed 'St Francis Teaching the Animals' 1988. Also by him is the 'Peace Window' of 1995.
Stained Glass in Wales
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.