22793

 

II*  

Designated  

03/06/1964  

24/01/2000  

Church of St David  

 

Swansea  

Port Eynon  

Swansea  

Llanddewi  

246005  

189053  

 

In a nearly square graveyard in the farm hamlet of Llanddewi, 4km north of Port Eynon village. Rubble limestone and sandstone graveyard wall with iron gate to south; two stiles.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The church may have been built in the C12, as indicated by the Norman font and the possibly Norman north window of the nave. It came briefly to importance in the period 1328-47 when bishop Henry de Gower established a palace in the vicinity. The Bishop was patron and his manor of Llanddewi was the parish. Since the ruination of Knelston church, Llanddewi church served that parish also. The original church was perhaps just the nave, with the chancel and tower a little later; both are connected to the nave by similar arches. The chancel is markedly inclined to the south relative to the axis of the nave. It is larger than usual relative to the size of the nave; perhaps because of its episcopal connection (cf Hodgeston, Pembrokeshire.) The tower has a saddleback roof, characteristic of Gower, set transversely. It is a little off the nave axis. Glynne indicates that before the restorations of the C19 the tower had a corbel table and battlement on the east side only (or, at least, only one side was visible), and only one belfry light, to the north. An ogee-headed lancet in the south wall of the nave was inserted in the C14 or C15. A high level window at the west of the nave suggests the former presence of a west gallery. The stone jambs of inner doorway were restored in 1717 by David Hughes, the letters DH17 being carved at the left side. The church underwent restoration 1876 at expense of CRM Talbot, in the course of which box pews including a remarkable C17 squire's pew known as the Henllys Seat were unfortunately lost. In another restoration in 1905, at expense of Miss Emily Talbot; the windows were throughout restored; two new ones were added, to north and south of the nave. Full replastering was carried out internally, and at this time mouldings on part of the chancel arch were probably lost. A further £200 was spent on restoration in c1920. A small boilerhouse was added at the north west corner in the angle of the nave and tower.  

Tower, nave, chancel and south porch, plus a small modern infill at the north west corner. Local rubble or axe-dressed masonry with surviving early windows in sandstone; C19 restoration windows, gutter corbels and coped gables with cross finials in oolitic limestone. Nave and chancel walls battered at foot. Slate roofs with tile ridges. The masonry techniques of the chancel, tower and porch differ a little from that of the nave. The tower is small but is a feature of the church, with its transverse saddleback roof. The masonry has been much repaired in red sandstone at the higher levels, and the top is perhaps largely restored. Parapets project to east and west on a corbel of stone billets. Steeply pitched slate roof with raised gables. C19 belfry lights to north and south; slit windows below to north and south. In the north of the nave is a small re-opened round-headed lancet with restored sill and in the north of the chancel a cinquefoil-headed lancet and a walled up two-light window with Y tracery. Small ogee-pointed window in south wall of nave, east of porch. Two-light mullion window in west wall of nave at high level, with lintel. The windows of the C19 or C20 restorations include the east window, in Decorated style, of three lights, with unstopped label. To the south of the chancel a two-light window with Y tracery; to the south and to the north of the nave a two light window with top roundel. The doorway to the porch has a sandstone pointed arch; chamfer externally with ogee stops at foot; rebated inside, but door missing. The inner doorway has an equilateral pointed arch with slight chamfer carried down to ground. Side benches in the porch. Sundial with iron gnomon over the outer arch of the porch. Built into the external walls are memorial slabs to Elizabeth Taylor [1764] and Matthew Jones [1737], to the east side of the chancel, and to Sarah Willis [1817] and others, on south side of the tower.  

The church is entered by a large south porch with side benches and a two-bay C19 roof. Nave with two blocks of late C19 pews; timber floor. Boarded ceiling; exposed quoins to the C19 windows. Tub font (scraped) near south door, on a single step. Low obtuse arches to tower and to chancel. The chancel arch has a small corbel at springing level each side. Simple carved Gothic pulpit at left, with a small blind arch in the chancel wall behind. One step up to chancel. Oak communion rails with twisted balusters. Sanctuary paved in large quarry tiles. Memorials include, in the chancel, at left, a figured marble memorial to William James of Burriss Green [1746], and Elizabeth his daughter; pink limestone memorial (with curious errors and corrections of spelling) to Silvanus Prosser, Rector of Port Eynon and Vicar of Llanddewi [1737]. At the right of the chancel a simplified classical pedimented memorial with battered pilasters to Anne Phillips [1833]. In the nave a brass plaque to those killed in the Great War, and another to R James, churchwarden 1958-81. A list of incumbents since 1576 is displayed.  

Listed II* as a medieval church (restored) with fine saddleback tower and other surviving medieval features.