8830

 

I  

Designated  

28/11/1950  

24/04/1998  

St Andrew's Church  

 

Powys  

Presteigne  

 

Presteigne  

331578  

264560  

 

In a spacious churchyard close to the River Lugg with Broad Street low down east and Church Street to north-west.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Predominantly C14 and Perpendicular externally but retaining significant part of an early Romanesque church in N aisle walls. Restored about 1855, in 1889-91 by J L Pearson, and in 1927 (when walls were stripped).  

Aisled nave with SW tower over porch, 3-bay chancel with Lady Chapel to SE linked west to an expanded S aisle, polygonal rood loft stair at N junction nave and chancel. Rubble facings, ashlar dressings, slate roofs, gable-end parapets with finial plain parapets to E end and S chapel, corner buttresses (diagonal on S angles tower). Significant parts of round-arched openings (blocked), chancel arch and W door front with 5-light Perp window between buttresses and C14 lean-to aisles. 3 stage C14 and later tower with crenellated parapets, weathervane over NW caphouse, pointed bell-openings rising through stringcourse, Perp window inserted over 4-centred porch entrance (octopartite rib vault under). Chancel with 5- and 3-light Perp windows under 4-centred arches with cavetto splays, Lady Chapel similar plus Tudor window to upper gable.  

7-bay C14 nave with arcades retaining two (re-used) Romanesque piers at NW corner, clerestory windows placed over spandrels, trussed rafted roof. Alternating arched brace and tie-beam roof to S chapel. Tall chamfered arches to chancel and SE chapel. Chancel retains shallow late medieval roof with trusses on wall posts and moulded ribs, good C17 to early C19 wall monuments. Fragements of medieval stained glass in upper Lady Chapel window, small medieval carved figure of St Andrew over W window, early C16 Flemish tapestry on N wall fine Georgian chandelier (1744), carillon of 1726 etc. Other furniture including brass crucifix, candlesticks, chancel screen, pulpit etc. by Pearson.  

Listed Grade I as one of the best surviving medieval churches in Powys and retaining exceptional masonry evidence for the pre-Norman fabric. Group value.