22848

 

II  

Designated  

10/02/2000  

10/02/2000  

Church of St George  

 

Swansea  

Reynoldston  

Swansea  

Reynoldston Village  

247950  

190025  

 

At the centre of the village of Reynoldston.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

In 1861 the incumbent, the Rev John Davies, engaged Messrs Prichard and Seddon, Whitehall, to design a church to replace the existing structure, which was reported to be dilapidated and of which no part was fit to be incorporated in the new building. Seddon described the old church as 'a mere barn, without any architectural pretensions'. The new design broadly followed the position and layout of the old, with nave, chancel, south porch and west bellcote for two bells, and a north transept was added in place of the Lucas Chapel in the old church. The estimated cost was to be £1200. The work did not take place until 1867 and at a cost of about £1500. The memorials from the earlier church were re-fixed, and the old font retained. In 1906 a small vestry was added in the north west angle of the transept and nave, with heating apparatus in its basement. The pillar cross from near Stouthall was brought into the church for protection in 1977.  

A C19 Gothic Revival church consisting of nave and chancel with a large north transept, a south porch, a prominent bellcote and a later north-west vestry. Red rock-faced sandstone laid in snecked courses, with yellow sandstone dressings to all windows, doors and gables and to the bellcote. Slate roofs with ridges, eaves brackets and coped gables in limestone. The gables throughout except for the vestry have stone finial crosses. The porch finial from the old church is built into the gable of the present porch. Tall yellow-brick chimney to the vestry. The east, west and north transept windows are in traceried Decorated style with hood moulds. Those to north and east are original two-light windows, that to west is of three lights, said to be of a later date (1905). The chancel north window is also traceried, but in a curiously miniaturised style. The north transept east window is a wheel window in Early English style with a central round and five round lobes, plus five small round plate piercings. The other windows are pairs or triplets of pointed lancets. One small round-headed window from the former building has been built into the south wall of the chancel as a blind window. The porch arch is equilateral with a broad chamfer stopped near the foot. The vestry, added in 1906, has an equilateral arch doorway with bonded jambs and a broad lancet window, both with labels and block terminals. The bellcote is prominent with two foiled ogee pointed bell openings separated by round colonnettes; shallow gabled side buttresses (very similar to Port Eynon, 1861).  

A well-proportioned interior with prominent scissor-braced roofs to nave, chancel and transept. Pews with scalloped tops and tusk-tenon joints. The transept floor is raised and the transept pews have a tall decorative front. Black and red quarry tiles in chequer pattern throughout. The chancel arch is of moderate size, pointed, and the chancel is short. Smaller opening in the chancel wall to the south for access from the chancel to the pulpit. The pulpit front is stone, round fronted, on a corbel base, with a single decorative panel of St George centrally. Gateless communion rails with Celtic crosses in foil-headed openings plus pierced decoration at foot. Moulded rail. The nave west window is the special feature of St George's stained glass, in three main lights, by Nathaniel Westlake, 1905: centrally St Barnabas, at left St Edward the Confessor, at right St Mary Magdalene of Pozzi; in memory of Col and Mrs Wood of Stouthall. The east window shows the Resurrection and Christ as shepherd with St Peter and St Mark; the chancel south window the Annunciation; the chancel north window St George and St David. The transept north window also shows the Resurrection. The nave south-east window shows the almsgiver Dorcas (Celtic Studios, 1978). Wall monuments include a brass war memorial to north of nave. Lucas and other family memorials gathered in the north transept and the north of the chancel arch. In the latter position a white marble oval with open curtains to John Lucas [1787] and his son the builder of Stouthall and daughter in law. To left of this a bronze plaque to Col J N Lucas [1863]. Brass memorials to west of transept include one to Starling Benson JP of Fairy Hill [1879] and another to Gen H R Benson [1892]. At left of the chancel arch is an ancient stone brought from Stouthall Park. One side carries a simple cross, the other is elaborately carved with a cross and interlace. The font beside the south door is square, mediaeval, in tufa, but ruthlessly scraped of all original finish when the C19 whitewash was removed.  

A well-designed Gothic Revival church by J P Seddon in partnership with John Pritchard, which has historic interest in its relationship with Stouthall. The ancient stone near the chancel arch is Scheduled Ancient Monument GM 089 (SWA).