9389

 

I  

Designated  

30/11/1966  

12/01/2001  

Church of St Margaret Marloes  

 

Carmarthenshire  

Eglwyscummin  

Whitland  

Eglwyscummin  

223090  

210649  

 

Situated in a prominent position on the N side of the B4314, some 2.5km SE of Rhos-goch.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Anglican parish church, probably C15 with stone vaulted nave and S porch, set in circular Celtic churchyard. E and W windows replaced in 1848, repairs in 1856 by Thomas David of Laugharne, mason, and John Harries of Laugharne, carpenter. Plans had been made by Coe & Goodwin of London, rejected as too expensive, and by Thomas Roberts of Carmarthen, accepted, but he went bankrupt. Chancel mostly rebuilt in 1878 by C.C. Rolfe of Oxford. Repairs in 1900-01 instigated by the agent for the Westmead estate, G.G.T. Traherne were carried out for £500 under the auspices of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) by William Weir, the Society architect, under the direction of Philip Webb, the architect colleague of William Morris. Weir replaced Bath stone copings in limestone, reroofed in grey Whitland Abbey slate (since replaced in C20 blue slate) and gave the nave roof stone ridge tiles (partly removed since). Inside he added the oak work at the W end and the pews. The very fine stained glass by F.C. Eden was introduced between 1906 and 1917, the pulpit by William Clarke of Llandaff came in 1925. The wall-painting was restored in 1996 by Donald Smith.  

Anglican parish church, rubble stone with slate roofs and grey limestone copings. Nave, chancel, S porch. Nave has battered base to W wall, grey limestone squat W bellcote probably of 1856, Y-tracery grey stone W window of 1848. S side has C19 yellow limestone single light with hood to left of porch, and a low broad blocked arch with stone voussoirs partly covered by W side of porch. Porch has pointed arch with stone voussoirs. Heavy cornerstone, grey limestone coping. Whitewashed C15 rough stone vault within, stone seats, flagged floor and panelled door of c1900 over panelled S door of c1848 in pointed doorway. Low arched grey limestone single light to right of porch, then low buttress, then a C19 Bath stone flat-headed 2-light with hoodmould to extreme right. Above are voussoirs of an earlier small window. Low buttressing at SE corner. Nave N has walling stepped out at right, with pointed chamfered N door and small medieval rectangular light to right, both blocked within. Moulded eaves cornice, possibly C18 along both parts of N wall. Small C19 single light to nave left, lighting pulpit. Chancel stonework appears mostly C19. Bath stone Y-tracery 3-light E window, possibly of 1878, echoing the 1848 W window, and two Bath stone single lights to S. Coped E gable and cross. Windowless N wall.  

Nave has cream limewashed pointed rough stone walls and vault with small side windows. Low round chancel arch with rectangular wall recess to left, behind pulpit. Stone flag floor. Deep-set W window, wall stepped back above. Two steps into chancel. Chancel has exposed stone walls, 1878 open timber roof of oak collar-rafter trusses, red floor tiles, and round-arched ashlar reveal to E window. Three stone fronted steps up to communion table, and encaustic tiles around. Trefoil headed piscina and shelf on S wall. Wall painting on nave N wall: a complex overpainting of a possibly C13 or C14 pattern. Above is some lettering in red ochre, possibly pre Reformation, overpainted with Ten Commandments first in English presumably in C16 and then in Welsh, perhaps early C17. A smaller painted panel adjoining is dated 1637. Pews of 1900-01, oak. W end has 2 very small vestries in each corner enclosed by oak-panelled walls splayed in to oak seat under W window. Seat has hinged back concealing C5 inscribed stone: AVITORIA FILIA CUNIGNI. Oak work is in Arts and Crafts manner with rough-hewn corner posts, simple panels, open top screens of diagonally set thin bars, and hand-crafted ironwork to hinges and latches. The design was by Philip Webb himself. Medieval stone font, small retooled square bowl on round shaft and square base, apparently of a single piece of stone. Lectern of 1903, oak, with fine lettering and carving of St Margaret, perhaps by Eden. Pulpit of 1925, timber conventional panelled Gothic. Timber chancel stalls and rails of 1878. Stained Glass: all early C20 and mostly of high quality by F.C. Eden: E window 1906 by Eden of 3 St Margarets, chancel S two windows, St Michael and St Nicholas, 1907 probably by Eden, Nave S left window SS Teilo and Brychan, 1915 signed by Eden, next window St George, 1907 probably by Eden, then St Cynin window signed by Eden, Nave W window Sir Guy de Brian and Lady Elizabeth de Brian of Laugharne, 1917 signed by Eden. Nave N window St David, 1909. Memorials: over the chancel arch an inscribed slab of 1798 to Sir John Perrot (d 1592). Nave S painted plaque to Jane Price (d 1854). Chancel W wall slabs to Peter Chapman (d 1718) and Edward Phillips of Sandyhaven, C18. Chancel S well lettered small plaque to G.G.T. Traherne (d 1923).  

Listed grade I as an excellent small medieval church with vaulted nave and porch; a notable example of an Arts and Crafts restoration associated with Philip Webb and with exceptional interior fittings and stained glass.