9843

 

II  

Designated  

21/10/1964  

09/08/1996  

Church of St Rhystyd  

 

Ceredigion  

Llanrhystyd  

Llanrhystyd  

Llanrhystyd  

253732  

269614  

 

Sited in large churchyard at the foot of Church Street in Llanrhystyd  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Medieval parish church almost entirely rebuilt 1852-4 by R.K. Penson for £2,367, Thomas Roberts, Llansteffan, builder. Only the W tower is medieval, but much encased, raised and with added spire. The previous church had a most unusual 2-bell Sanctus bellcote.  

Squared rubble stone with ashlar dressings, steep slate roofs and ashlar coped gables. W tower and spire, nave with E bellcote, chancel, S aisle and S porch. Decorated Gothic style. Substantial medieval W tower with 1852-4 bell-stage and broad stone broached spire. Battered base with Cl9 ashlar moulded course, big clasping buttresses with battered bases, plinth course carried round, ashlar coped gables and then two ashlar set-offs. Buttress tops are at mid-height of bell-stage. C19 2-light W window under narrow medieval lancet. NE stair projection capped in ashlar. Sill course to bell-stage and big deep-set 2-light ashlar bell-lights with quatrefoil heads and hoodmoulds, the W light removed and infilled in black brick. Corbels under stone tall broach spire with ashlar gabled lucarnes. Nave has tall E Sanctus bellcote, buttressed sides, two cusped pointed openings, and a cinquefoil in coped gable. Nave N two 2-light windows to left, one to right, with foiled circle heads and hoodmoulds. NE buttress. Chancel has coped gable with faces carved on the kneelers, N lean-to vestry, big 3-light E window with cinquefoil and hoodmould. Sill-course and clasping SE buttress, 2-step NE buttress. Chancel S has 2-light to right, raised up, ornate door with cusping and steps up, buttress with gable set low, cusped lancet and, to left, a 2-light with ogee tracery and hood. S aisle has coped gables, E cross finial, 2-light E window with trefoiled circles in head. S side has SE stepped buttress, 2-light, buttress, two two-lights, porch and 2-light. Single light W window. Raised plinth. 2-light windows have varied foiled circles in heads and hoodmoulds. Porch has coped gable and cross, moulded pointed doorway, hoodmould and carved stops. Scissor rafter roof and moulded pointed doorway up 4 steps.  

Plastered medieval vault to tower. C19 moulded ashlar tower arch on corbels. Panelled C19 tower screen. Seven bay nave roof with arched braces on corbels. Ashlar 5-bay arcade, pointed arches and alternate round and octagonal columns. The E respond is corbelled on a carved head. Moulded chancel arch on half-column shafts with leaf capitals and carved corbels. Panelled 4-sided chancel roof with bosses and carved wallplate. Double sedilia in S wall left window. S aisle scissor rafter roof. Fittings: Medieval octagonal plain font on C19 base. Monuments: Nave N to Mary Anne Hughes (d1834) by Wallace and White of Edinburgh, a broken rose carved on obelisk top. Brass to J.G.P. Hughes of Alltlwyd (d 1906). 1829 plaque to Morgan Williams of Tregynan Isaf. Stained glass: E window excellent C14 style glass by Clayton and Bell, to Lloyd-Philipps of Mabws and Penty Park, c1865-70. Nave N 3 2-light window of St George to Capt. Begbie, d1902. S aisle E c1945 by G. Maile Studios.  

One of the most elaborate Victorian churches in Cardiganshire retaining a medieval tower, remade in C19 with the only stone spire in the county.