1959

 

II  

Designated  

09/01/1956  

19/10/2000  

Church of St James  

 

Monmouthshire  

Skenfrith  

Abergavenny  

Llanvetherine  

336418  

217200  

 

In a gently sloping churchyard, on S side of the B4521 in the centre of Llanvetherine.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Church probably has early medieval origins; the external walls of the chancel appear older than those of the nave. The present church is largely late C15, but the upper stage of the tower was heightened, probably in the C16. In the Victorian restoration of 1870 by Charles Buckeridge, the nave wagon roof was renewed, the chancel arch rebuilt, and N nave 3-light window restored.  

Red sandstone rubble, some ashlar dressings; nave and chancel have slate roofs, porch has stone tiled roof. Nave, chancel, W tower and S porch. Gabled porch has Gothic arched entrance doorway and wagon roof. To left and right are small Tudor arched openings. Nave S wall has late-C15 perp. windows. To left of porch, window has two cinquefoil lights with ribbed panels above and flat head. To right, a similar 4-light cinquefoil and then a tall semi-circular arched window, dated 1703. Both nave and chancel have coped gables with stone crosses at apex. Chancel roof-line is lower. S wall has (l to r) a small ogee headed window; a chamfered pointed arched doorway, with plank door with applied fillets; and pointed arched window with two trefoils. E gable has pointed arched window with three cinquefoil lights, and dripmould with returns. Chancel N wall is blind. Nave N wall has three windows, all with flat heads, comprising centre C19 restored 3-light cinquefoil, with 2-light windows on each side. Tower rises in three stages and has attached stair turret to NE. Shallow plinth with moulded string; first stage has paired lancets on W face; second stage chamfered slit openings on three sides; belfry projects on stone corbels and each face of bell chamber has square, recessed openings with louvred triple lancets. Castellated parapet with two merlons on each side and projecting rainwater spouts to S.  

Nave wagon roof dates from the Victorian restoration of c1870, moulded ribs with boarded panels, moulded and embattled wall plate. Wagon roof to chancel is C15 (but with many C19 decorative bosses), plaster vault, and moulded wall plate. Pointed chancel arch is dated 1872. Oak pulpit and low chancel screen have carved C20 Arts and Crafts style decorative panels of celestial city and ship under sail. Tower arch is pointed and lower stage is enclosed by C19 wooden screen with band of enclosed trefoils to cornice. Font of c1870, octagonal bowl and shaft broached to a square plinth. Stained glass: E window of 1905 (the Adoration) incorporates fragments of medieval glass in tracery; N nave 1976 St James and St Gwitherin. Each side of altar are exceptionally fine early C17 tombstones (ex situ); to left is effigy of Rev. David Powell (died 1621), to right is effigy of Mary Powell his wife. Chancel also contains good floorstone to Anthony Powell, and on S wall monument to John Price (died 1705) and rare monumental brass on N wall to Anne Stephens (died 1729) engraved by Devereux Parry. Several good slate wall monuments by the Brute family, include memorials to Mary Williams (died 1724), Samuel Watkins (died 1773), and Thomas Davies (died 1787).  

Included as an historic church with surviving medieval fabric, including a good tower.