2630

 

II*  

Designated  

18/11/1980  

31/01/2000  

Church of Saint David  

 

Monmouthshire  

Llanarth  

Usk  

Trostrey  

335993  

204411  

 

Situated in isolated hillside position some 400m up lane running N from A471 from junction about 1km N of Llancayo.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Parish church, early C14 in origin, possibly built by Geoffrey Marshall, lord of Trostrey Castle, though a hermitage is recorded c1160. Rebuilt c1500, most of the detail late C15 or early C16, possibly for Miles ap Morris, lord of Trostrey in 1535. Similar to the churches at Kemeys Commander and Bettws Newydd. Restored by John Prichard 1876-7, largely at expense of the lord of the manor, the Rev. Sir Henry Fludyer Bt, vicar of Ayton, Rutlands. The roof was substantially remade with new bosses, the chancel floor raised and the screen repaired.  

Parish church, rubble stone, with concrete tile plain tiles to roof and coped gables. Small, single cell with W bellcote and stone-tiled W porch. Bellcote projects slightly on small coved moulding, two restored pointed openings, ashlar gable with cross finial. One bell said to be dated 1666, renewed 1897. Porch has coped gable and C19 cross finial. Double-chamfer pointed arch, with hoodmould, the ashlar of the arch pieced into the stonework behind, suggesting substantial alteration. Two-bay restored double-purlin roof with horseshoe windbraces and 2 chamfered arch-braced collar trusses, the timber old but perhaps reset. Stonework of walls looks largely C19. Stone seats, slit window to S side. C19 inner door with chamfered jambs, moulded pointed head, C19 doors with wrought iron hinges. Damaged medieval stoup with cusped trefoil head, possibly C14, and broken base. In porch is eroded late medieval cross-gabled coping stone. Outside porch is reset grave slab of 1756 to P. Matthias (originally listed separately). S side has, to left of centre, a plain square-headed 2-light stone window with shallow recessed chamfered surrounds and leaded lights. Then a late medieval 2-light Perp window with flat head and ogee heads to lights, and deep hollow-moulded frame. This closely flanks rood-stair projection which has stone tiles and small recessed single light to upper right, with flat head. Beyond, narrow chancel door, Tudor arched, chamfered with broach stops, and Perp chancel 2-light window with flat head, ogee heads to lights and hollow-moulded frame. East window is of c1500 much restored, recessed 3-light with 4-centred head, ogee heads to lights and panel tracery. All late medieval windows are in red stone. Chancel N has C19 2-light and nave N similar 3-light C19 window, Perp style, grey stone.  

Nave and chancel under one roof. Plastered walls with C19 ashlar rear arches to windows. Cambered head to W door rear arch, with stone voussoirs. Curved panelled roof with moulded ribs and foliate bosses, timbers much restored or wholly renewed. Boarded panels, 8 x 16, original moulded wallplates, broken between nave and chancel. C15 or C16 rood screen like those at Kemeys Commander and Bettws Newydd. Original rood beam with sawn-off ends of rood-loft supports and slot in top for post to support boarding. Renewed top moulding. Two heavy chamfered posts to centre with remnant of attached piers with crocketted finials. Six traceried panels each side, the tracery renewed in 1877. Narrow door to former rood stair, Tudor-arched, much renewed. No stair within, nor sign of upper access to loft. Chancel S door has chamfered single-stone head. Small medieval piscina in chancel close to floor on S wall with ogee head, shelf within. E window has moulded arch dying into jambs. Font is hexagonal with 'malt-shovel' panels to chamfered underside, hexagonal stem and circular base, similar to that at Bettws Newydd. Bench pews of c1877. Timber pulpit, 3-sided front with incised C17 style carved panels. Later C19 iron communion rails. Windows have attractive later C19 patterned quarries except E window, of c1865, to Marie Prichard (d1855), with 3 scenes of the life of Christ and 3 angels in quatrefoils above. Fine baroque monument to Charles Hughes of Trostrey Court, (d1676) in timber, stone and alabaster. Plaque in timber bolection-moulded surround, alabaster plinth, 2 timber columns, rich cornice with reversed curved pediments and cartouche between. Moulded stone sill, gadrooned below. Plaque to Richard Reece (d1758). Plaque to John Sandford of Trostrey Hill (d1842), by Wood of Bristol.  

A well restored medieval parish church with several original features including most of the rood screen.