6720

 

II  

Designated  

14/04/1966  

23/03/2005  

Church of Saint Cynog  

 

Powys  

Yscir  

Brecon  

Battle  

300827  

230974  

 

On the W side of Battle in a churchyard S of the road through the village.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Anglican parish church, with C15 panelled ceiling, the rest much restored in 1880 by J. B. Fowler of Brecon, as a memorial to Sir Anthony Cleasby of Penoyre, died 1879. Sir S. Glynne in 1865 described it as small, whitewashed, with no chancel, a small bellcote, a Perp style 3-light E window, a coarse Perp style 2-light window to chancel N, and plain pointed N door. The ceiling was coved and ribbed and he mentions the large square stoup near the N door. The faculty papers of 1880 include the specification which suggests that the walls were to be left, as the new vestry opening is to be ripped out carefully. The internal steps were to be of Forest stone, the tiles from Godwin of Lugwardine. The E window was to be renewed to the old design, as also the N window, and the others to be copied from the N window. £10 was to be set aside for the font.  

Church, squared grey rubble stone with grey ashlar dressings, slate roof of silver-grey slates, and red terracotta ridge tiles, crested over chancel only. Single vessel with timber W bell turret on ridge. Bell turret is square with cusped ogee paired lights each side and slated gabled roof. Plain boarded gables. Windows are flat-headed with segmental-pointed heads to lights and incised spandrels. N side has 2-light to right of porch, a 3-light and a 2-light to left. Porch has grey ashlar front piers with sloping brattished caps supporting pairs of timber brackets under gable which has big bargeboards with wave and quatrefoil ornament. Oak pointed arch within piers, oak framed sides on low rubble walls. Red stone pointed chamfered medieval N door with runout stops to surround. Board door with iron hinges. W end is rendered with side wall of SW vestry continuing roof line to right. S side is rubble stone with projecting vestry to left, with eaves-breaking gabled 2-light window with quatrefoil above. Bargeboards to gable. S wall has 3-light and 2-light windows as on N. E wall has traceried Perp style 3-light window with ogee cusped heads to lights and panel tracery in head. Pointed hoodmould. E gable has bargeboards.  

Plastered interior with C15 plastered-panelled ceiling in 10x6 panels, moulded ribs. Window openings have 1880 ashlar sides and moulded oak lintels. S wall has ashlar ogee-headed frame to vestry door at W end. N wall has half-octagonal medieval stoup with pointed recess over, by N door. One step to chancel with ball-flower ornament, one step to sanctuary with altar rails. Tiled floor to chancel, carpeted to sanctuary. Fittings: Font 1880, heavily carved with chamfered angles and carving in panels and also on square base. Chancel step carries 1880 openwork timber 3-sided pulpit to left and matching chancel rails, the right rail including a book-rest lectern. Plain timber altar rails on 4 posts with braces. E wall Gothic panelling in pine with passion-flower frieze and brattished cresting, c. 1900. Stalls with turned columns in bench ends and open traceried frontals. Pine pews with arm-rests. Stained glass: E window to Lucy Cleasby of Penoyre, died 1912, possibly by Powell. Memorials: W wall plaque to Howell Powell of Battle Fawr, died 1858, by G. Hay of Brecon; neo-Grec memorial with scrolled top to Col J. L. V. Watkins of Pennoyre, died 1865; marble plaque to David Kirkby of Battle House died 1850, by W. Williams of Brecon. Nave S stone tablet with draped urn above to Henry Mitchell of Battle House died 1782, his widow died 1788, son Thomas died 1805, by I. Millward of Hay; marble Gothic plaque to Sir A. Cleasby of Pennoyre died 1879; brass plaque to R. D. Cleasby of Penoyre, died 1909, at Abbots Langley.  

Included as a small parish church much restored but retaining late medieval panelled ceiling.