2927

 

II*  

Designated  

01/03/1963  

22/08/2003  

Church of Saint Michael  

 

Newport  

Graig  

Newport  

Lower Machen  

322799  

188081  

 

In a prominent position in the centre of Lower Machen Conservation Area.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Anglican parish church, medieval, mostly C15 with W tower, nave, chancel and S porch. Works are recorded in 1829-30 (new reredos and S doors), there was a W gallery, the reason for the split window on the N side, removed when the church was restored in 1900-1 by C. B. Fowler of Cardiff. Notable for the early C18 burial chapel of the Morgan family said to have been built c. 1716, containing the fine monument to John Morgan of Ruperra (d 1715) by Edward Stanton, and the double monument to John Morgan (d 1719) and Sir William Morgan (d 1731). The chapel is shown in an engraving of 1800, after Sir R. Colt Hoare, in Archdeacon Coxe's Tour.  

Parish church, rubble stone with C19 ashlar dressings, imitation stone tile roofs, gables without copings. W tower, nave, S porch, chancel and NE memorial chapel. Tower is plain C15 with battered base, corbelled embattled parapet and pyramid roof with weathercock. Pointed chamfered late medieval possibly early C16 white stone broad W door with relieving arch and C19 board door. W side has small medieval loop at mid height, altered louvred bell-opening with cambered head and stone voussoirs. Similar bell-opening on S and 2 loops, one loop on N and bell-opening is rectangular chamfered with trace of lost centre mullion, possibly C16. E side shows line of a steeper nave roof. Nave has straight walls without battered base. Windows are C19 cusped 2-light with trefoils in heads, set flush without hoodmoulds, 3 to nave S with brick voussoirs, one window left of porch 2 to right. Porch is large possibly C17 with chamfered segmental pointed doorway with pyramid stops, C20 sundial in gable. W side has plaque to Robert Lewis (d 1824), eroding. Low wrought-iron porch gates, benches and stone flagged floor within, C19 curved panelled roof and C19 inner door with cambered-headed ashlar surround and double doors. Chancel has C19 ashlar door in plain segmental pointed surround and 2-light window as on nave, but without the brick voussoirs. E end has C19 broad 4-light window with imitation Perpendicular tracery, and hoodmould. NE chapel is plain, gable in line with chancel E, one E c1900 2-light with trefoil in head, and N side low door. Nave N has single-light pulpit window to left, cusped with trefoil in head, one 3-light C19 pointed window with 3 trefoils in head and stone voussoirs, a lean-to outbuilding with square E chimney and board door on N, and finally, to right, a 2-light with trefoil in head and brick voussoirs set over a flat-headed 2-light with hoodmould.  

Broad interior with plastered walls, plaster stripped on W and E nave walls. Tower has been added to an earlier nave. Nave W has medieval first floor pointed window with 2 relieving arches over and deep segmental-pointed arch over pointed W door. Nave has panelled boarded ceiling and 3 tie beams. Stone flagged aisles. S door has cambered head and double baize doors recorded as replaced in 1830. Rood loft entrance to winding stair in NE corner of nave, and opening in wall above. Recess with cusped head behind pulpit adjoining. Moulded oak lintel over pulpit window, possibly reused. Broad chancel arch with thin stone voussoirs, probably late medieval. Three high steps to chancel with broad 1900 2-bay roof. Chancel walls exposed rubble stone with segmental-pointed recess to left of E window and crude piscina on S wall. Entrance to chapel on chancel N is earlier C18 classical arch with keystone, pilasters, panelled soffit and fine wrought iron gates. Chapel has cornice, deep cove and reeded centre border. Stone flag floor with incised stones. Fittings: unusual presumably early C18 whitewashed small bowl font on long stem. C19 pine pews, pine pulpit. Organ by CR Gill, Cardiff Organ Works. Eleven hatchments to Morgan family members from 1767 to 1867. Cast iron Hanoverian royal arms over chancel arch. Patterened glass in trefoil heads of windows. Pair of painted benefaction boards on nave N side late C18 or early C19. Memorials: In the NE chapel :W wall very fine marble pedimented monument to Sir William Morgan (d 1731) and John Morgan (d 1719), two cambered-headed plaques with cherub head between in fine surround with carved festoons, panels below, Corinthian columns and carved arms with supporters above. To right an infilled fireplace with reeded surround and inscription Virtus Vincit under grey-painted Gothic memorial to Charles Morgan (d 1787) and John Morgan (d 1792), sarcophagus with mourning large cherub, draped urn and 2 shields below. N wall has early C19 marble plaque to Frances Morgan (d 1767) by Gaffin; marble plaque to Rev. C.A.S. Morgan of Machen House, (d 1875), and C19 marble scroll to Frances Morgan with poem by the Rev. C.A.S. Morgan, also by Gaffin. Blocked door to centre. E wall has C19 Gothic window, neo-Baroque cartouche to Hon. F.C. Morgan, (d 1909), and very fine oval plaque to John Morgan (d 1715), with cornice semi-circular in centre, on fluted pilasters with palm fronds, three veiled cherub heads under cornice and carved arms. The monument is by Edward Stanton of London (1681-1734) who was paid for it in 1717. S wall has pointed oval plaque to Charlotte Morgan (d 1891) with carved lilies and cherubs. In the body of the church: marble plaque to Rev. H. Williams (d 1866), and painted plaque in chancel arch to Mary Edmunds (d 1785) and Margaret Edmunds (d 1806) with raised oval.  

Graded II* for the remarkable C18 family chapel and tombs.