4737

 

II*  

Designated  

17/06/1966  

20/07/1995  

Parish Church of St Illtyd including churchyard walls and gatepiers  

 

Gwynedd  

Llanelltyd  

 

Llanelltyd  

271753  

319546  

SE  

Set back slightly from the main road on a slight rise; set within its own circular, walled churchyard.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Early Christian site associated with St Illtyd (c475-525); the surviving raised, circular churchyard is possibly of this period. The present church is late C15 with subsequent alterations. Restored in 1686 (external date plaque), the church was again refenestrated in the second quarter C18 at which time a N porch was added and also probably 2 domestic-type gabled dormers on the S side, though equally these could relate to the late C17 intervention. Further restoration was carried out in 1899.  

Long, single-cell church of rubble construction with cyclopean blocks to lower walls; graded slate roof and overlapping coping stones to kneelered gable parapets. That to W has a plain rubble bell-cote with triangular-headed bell opening; gablet above with inscribed date 1834. 4 disengaged corbels beneath bell-cote with initials G H V carved in between. Tall arched window with chamfered reveals and returned label. C18 N porch with arched entrance with dressed stone voussoirs. Flanking C18 arched windows with voussoirs as before and leaded cross-windows with fan glazing to upper section; further, similar window to far L. Immediately to the E of the porch, an inscribed stone set under the eaves; initials RE, OG (for church wardens) and date 1686. Small mid-C19 3-light Perpendicular E window with cusped heads and Tudor arch. C17 rubble S porch with rendered gable face and slate bargeboards; C20 wooden doors with coloured leads to top light. 3 arched C18 windows to S side as before and 2 rubble gabled dormers, coped and kneelered and with square-headed leaded casements. Rubble churchyard walls with C19 slate-coping. These curveinwards opposite the S porch and terminate in tall, early C19gatepiers of ashlar with pyramidal capping and plain cornices. Early C20 gates and hoop-suspended light.  

6-bay interior with no division between nave and chancel. Late C15 arch-braced collar truss roof with half-round moulding to trusses, trenched, chamfered purlins and 2 tiers of cusped, chamfered windbraces. Early C18 dado panelling to walls, made up out of box pews and repositioned during the 1899 restoration. C17 2-bay collar truss roof to S porch containing a repositioned early Medieval plain, cylindrical font. Late C15 oak plank door to chamfered Tudor-arched entrance with original chevron decorated hinges; contemporary blind applied tracery-heads relating to chamfered shafts applied to form 3 fields, the latter C19 replacements. Similar arched N entrance with studded oak door inscribed on reverse IR RR 1779 (for church wardens). Plain Victorian tiled floor and oak pews; plain, contemporary octagonal font. The bowl of a small, loose octagonal font survives bearing the date 1689. At the W end a large hatchment to Sir Robert Vaughan of Nannau, the third baronet (d.1859). Early Medieval inscribed stone with carved foot print and dedication to Kenyrick, a pilgrim. Tall W window with stained glass panel of St Illtyd commemorating the return of captain Henry Romer Lee from the Boer War. On the S wall, a marble mural monument to Sir Robert Howel Vaughan of Hengwrt and Nannau, Bart., d.1792. 1899 octagonal oak pulpit re-using late C15-late C17 screen and box pew panels, the earlier with pierced tracery, the later with lozenge decoration; octagonal domed sounding board. Further, similar panels to E wall including some dated 1692 and with initials RNM. Late C17 barley-twist oak altar rails. Perpendicular style C19 crucifixion group stained glass to E window. There is a number of small engraved brass plaques to the walls, chiefly early C19.  

Graded II* as a late Medieval church retaining much of its historic character and with the special interest of its C18 vernacular porch and fenestration.