9912

 

II  

Designated  

05/12/1963  

20/07/2004  

Church of St Mary  

 

Ceredigion  

Ystrad Fflur  

Ystrad Meurig  

Strata Florida/Ystrad Fflur  

274650  

265762  

 

Situated in large churchyard N of the ruins of Strata Florida abbey.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Anglican parish church of the parish of Caron uwch Clawdd, rebuilt in 1815, replacing a plain, low and barn-like church shown in 1741 view of abbey ruins. Repaired 1875 and again in 1914 by G.T. Bassett, for £211. In 1914 said to have been in a deplorable state needing new roof, floor, seats, painting and windows. The church includes stone from the abbey ruins, one notable piece with carved roundels, but probably also the base stonework of the W wall, and the E gable. The pulpit is said to date from 1724. The present small bowl font is presumably not the octagonal one noted by Meyrick in 1810. In the churchyard, numerous well-lettered memorials: one recording that the left leg and part of the thigh of Henry Hughes Cooper was cut off and interred here June 18th 1756. Railed enclosure to tomb of William Davies of Pantyfedwen, died 1818. Dominant polished black Norwegian marble monument to Sir David James, died 1967, and family. James born at Pantyfedwen in the parish, was a financier and founder of the Pantyfedwen Trust for the support of Welsh language causes.  

Parish church, rubble stone with slate close-eaved roof. Single chamber with W bellcote. Windowless W end of coursed squared stone has high plinth with exceptionally long blocks to string course. Above are 5 courses of squared yellow stone blocks, probably reused from Abbey, on either side of arched doorway, and similar stone to the voussoirs of the arch. C20 studded plank doors. 1759 date scratched on one stone (upside down). Slightly classical bellcote: dripcourse at base, plinth of tooled stone with slate cap carrying bell-opening with two square piers and depressed arch with stone voussoirs, flat shoulders, and small raised pediment. Body of church has 3 large pointed windows each side with timber Y-tracery and leaded glazing, renewed 1914. The voussoirs on S side are of yellow stone, probably re-used, those on N of greyish stone. Cement sills. N wall has C12-13 carved stone with pair of roundels built into upper right end. E end has larger 3-light pointed window, with renewed intersecting tracery and stone voussoirs. The E gable is built of yellow stone, probably reused. Large stone leaning against E wall with incised cross, formerly a grave slab, possibly C10.  

The interior still has a Georgian simplicity. Whitewashed walls and plastered curved ceiling, panelled W gallery on two turned columns. Gallery stairs in SW corner. Fittings: very small medieval round bowl on a round shaft; pretty turned altar rails, curved in plan. Row of wooden hat-pegs on each side wall. Panelled pulpit dated 1724, but odd ungeometrical octagonal shape suggests some reworking. Victorian or early C20 reredos. Monuments - Nicely lettered plaques to Lt. John Morice of Aberllolwyn and Treflys, died 1821, painted slate; to Richard Edward of Ty Gwyn died 1722, and to Averina Stedman died 1734. In the NE corner, fine grey and white marble monument to Anne Lloyd, died 1778, wife first of Richard Stedman of Strata Florida and then of the notorious Sir Herbert Lloyd of Peterwell. Stained Glass - A series of 4 bright coloured windows of 1961-7 by Powell of Whitefriars, given by Sir David James and family. Nave N second SS David & Barnabas, to Sir D. James died 1967; third SS Agnes & Non to Lady Grace James died 1963; S third SS Bernard and Francis, and the E window to parents of Sir David James.  

Included as a simple late Georgian church with fittings and monuments of quality. Part of the historic setting of the abbey ruins, incorporating stones from the abbey.