21498

 

II  

Designated  

17/03/1999  

17/03/1999  

Church of St Paul  

 

Caerphilly  

Newbridge  

 

Newbridge  

320709  

196793  

N  

On the main E/W thoroughfare through Newbridge leading to Pontllanfraith, surrounded by lawn, yard and church hall to rear.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Church founded 1891 but present building is of 1928 opened 1929, architect H J Griggs of Newport, perspective drawing signed Griggs and Vaughan. Was intended to be much larger, only the E end and transepts were built. Original architect's drawing shows unbuilt Lady Chapel at E end of S transept and large tower at SW. Windows dedicated later.  

A rugged Gothic design in baronial style masonry, well mortared random rubble including some ironstone with roughly dressed quoins, also some red sandstone ashlar dressings; Welsh slate roof with corbelled eaves. E end has large 5 light window with curvilinear tracery, apex ventilation slits and tall tiered buttresses with saddleback caps, battered at base. N side has a projecting 3-sided stair turret fitting into the angle between vestry and chancel with lancet light; above is a tall tapering chimney. Gabled vestry wing has a recessed doorway (another blocked) and further lancets, some to light organ loft at first floor level. Breaking forward to W are the twin gables of the transept bays each with a 3-light window with curvilinear tracery, hoodmould and twin apex ventilation slits between ashlar bands. At each end and separating the bays are buttresses with saddleback caps; these are supported by a projecting ground floor bay with shallow tiled roof, battered and with twin lancets to each bay. W end has the raw edges of the discontinued walls, a vertical composition with buttresses at each corner of the nave and flanking the large W window which has no tracery and a wooden frame; buttresses/pilasters on either side rise to support a hipped roof extending over the window and below die into the walls of the porch which has a roof of similar steep single pitch with swept eaves supported by large roughly hewn stone corbels. Blank walls to the transepts with slated roofs to the sites of the unbuilt aisles. Similar S transept to N but including a heavy moulded pointed arched doorway and a large E-facing archway blocked with wood. Another wide arch on S chancel wall also blocked - the site of the unbuilt Lady Chapel; priests' door and at upper level 2 lancets.  

Interior of unrendered stone rubble with ashlar dressings. Nave of 2 bays has N and S aisles, the arcades with tall slender octagonal piers with moulded pointed arches but no capitals. No chancel arch. To S a further smaller pointed arch is blocked with masonry with a low wide arch below, similar taller pointed arch at end of S aisle, both curtained off; S wall has recessed pointed arched paired and single lancets and doorways. Deep recessed arches end to W in blank wall to N and S aisles. Shouldered doorway to vestry N and steps up to organ chamber above with small gallery; similar doorway to S and the arches to the once proposed Lady Chapel. From corbels in arcade spandrels rise the principal moulded pegged oak roof trusses; paired trusses signify the division between nave and chancel and the sanctuary; shallower intermediate trusses within each bay rise from the crenellated wallplate and the ceiling between is boarded within rectangular panels. Chancel is 3 steps up and the sanctuary is dominated by an elaborate gilded triptych by Wippell's, the church furnishing company of Exeter, c 1960 depicting the Last Supper with further scenes on the doors; piscina in S wall, doors to N and S have cusped heads. Plain stone pulpit, stone floor, small octagonal font in Perpendicular style, memorial tablet to founder of church on W wall.  

Listed as a fine, though incomplete, early C20 church of unusual design. Group value with the Celynen Collieries Workmen's Institute.