22858

 

II  

Designated  

25/02/2000  

25/02/2000  

Church of St Anne  

 

Neath Port Talbot  

Tonna  

 

Tonna  

277475  

198953  

S  

Set back on the S side of the main B4434 through the village.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Built 1891-2 by E.H. Lingen Barker, architect of Hereford, at the expense of the Rev David Griffiths.  

Geometrical-style church comprising nave and chancel, with transepts and asymmetrical N tower, the lower stage of which is the porch. Of snecked rock-faced sandstone with lighter dressings and sill and impost bands. The windows have hood moulds with foliage stops. A slate roof is behind coped gables. The nave has angle buttresses, a 3-light W window and stepped vents below the apex. In the N wall are a 2-light window at the R end, a cusped lancet, and the tower, which does not project N as far as the transept, to which it is attached. The 3-stage tower has angle buttresses, a 2-centred N doorway without capitals and a boarded door with crescent hinges. Above is a 3-light window to the middle stage. On the W side, in the angle with the nave, is a round stair turret with lancet to its L in the lower stage. The upper stage and spire are of ashlar. The upper stage is octagonal and has big polygonal corner turrets rising off the buttresses of the lower stages. Lancet bell openings have louvres. Above the bell openings is an arcade frieze. The spire has 3 thin bands of blind arches. The N transept has a 3-light window. Against the N side of the chancel is an outshut housing the organ. The chancel is apsidal and has three 2-light windows. A S vestry under an outshut roof has a lean-to attached to it. The S transept is similar to the N, while the nave S wall is 3 bays with 2-light windows.  

The interior has pointed and boarded wagon roofs throughout. The nave has a floor of coloured tiles. The chancel arch has responds with foliage capitals, and a moulded 2-centred arch with hood mould. The transepts have plainer arches without capitals. The font and pulpit are of white stone and were made as a pair. The font is octagonal and mounted on a round base. Around the bowl are inset panels with crosses in relief. The pulpit has similar insets panels, and is otherwise round with open arcading, with similar arcading to the steps. The pews have moulded ends. The E window has New Testament scenes by Joseph Bell of Bristol. The N transept has glass by Mayer & Co of Munich also with New Testament scenes. The W window may also be by Mayer.  

Listed for its architectural interest, especially the well-designed exterior with spire in a prominent location in the village.