82094

 

II  

Designated  

28/11/2003  

28/11/2003  

Church of St Thomas  

 

Carmarthenshire  

St. Ishmael  

 

Ferryside  

236684  

210382  

SE  

Near the centre of Ferryside E of the railway station.  

 

 

Built in 1876 by TEC Streatfield, architect of London, replacing an earlier church on the site.  

A parish church, mainly in geometrical style, comprising nave with S aisle, lower and narrower chancel, S chapel, N organ chamber and SE vestry. Of snecked, rock-faced stone with freestone dressings, and slate roof behind coped gables on moulded kneelers. Walls are buttressed, with shallow clasping buttresses to the angles. The 3-bay nave is entered on the N side. It has two 3-light windows and a porch in the R-hand bay. The porch has a pointed doorway with half nook shafts and inner roll moulding, and double boarded doors with strap hinges. Its W side wall has a 3-light mullioned window. The N doorway to the nave has similar doors in a pointed roll-moulded surround. At the NE end of the nave is a round bell turret with lancet openings to the bell stage, and a steep conical roof. The W side of the nave has two 2-light windows and cusped round window above, all spanned by a single relieving arch. A similar 2-light W window is in the aisle. The S wall of the aisle has broad, square-headed 4-light windows, with pointed lights and sunk spandrels. The S chapel has 3 stepped lights to its S window, and a boarded door under pointed head to the W wall. Attached to its E side is the vestry, which has a roof concealed behind a parapet. It has two 2-light E windows and a boarded N door under a shouldered head. The vestry also projects beyond the E end of the chancel. The chancel has single-light N and S windows and 3 stepped lights to the E under separate hood moulds. The lower organ chamber has 2 N windows under a cusped round windows, and in the E wall a boarded door under a shouldered head.  

The interior has rock-faced walls and Bath stone dressings. The nave has a 3-bay S arcade with double-chamfered 2-centred arches on round piers and responds. The roof, of 3 main bays with a ½ bay at the W end, has arched-brace trusses on corbels, and windbraces. The 2-centre chancel arch is on corbelled capitals. In the chancel are segmental pointed arches to S chapel and N organ chamber, both double-chamfered and dying into the imposts. The E end is elaborately treated. The rere arch to the E window has ringed shafts and a sill band with foliage frieze directly below the window. A mosaic reredos, dated 1876, depicts the Crucifixion and is flanked by decorative-tile panels. The chancel floor is also laid with decorative tiles. In the S wall are double sedilia with pointed arches and on the N side is a cusped aumbry. The S chapel is entered through a segmental-pointed arch from the S aisle and has a doorway with shouldered head to the vestry. The octagonal freestone font has quatrefoils around the bowl, with inset motifs in marble including the Star of David and IHS monogram. Its stem has attached shafts with broad foliage capitals, and an octagonal base. Pews and pulpit are simple, and the communion rails have iron uprights with scrolled brackets to a moulded wooden rail. A wall monument by Daniel Mainwaring of Carmarthen, salvaged from the previous church and re-set above the N door when the new church was built, commemorates the Rev Edward Picton (d 1835). In a classical style, it has fluted pilasters and entablature, surmounted by a closed urn. Several windows have stained glass. Chancel windows are all of c1882. The E window, depicts scenes from the Life of Christ including the crucifixion and ascension, by Burlison & Grylls. The S window, by the same firm, shows St Mary. The N window depicts St Thomas, and commemorates the architect of the church. In the nave, the window on the E side of the N wall shows New Testament scenes, c1884. To its L is a window by AL Moore of London, commemorating Glanmor Williams, killed in the Boer War in 1900. It depicts the 'Good and Faithful Servant' flanked by SS George and David. In the S aisle, the central window, by Janet Hardy and dated 1991, is a depiction of the church. To its L is a millennium window installed 2002 and showing Virgin and Child. In the S chapel is an undated window by Celtic Studios of Swansea, showing Virgin and Child, flanked by figures of SS David and Ishmael.  

Listed for its architectural interest as an accomplished small church in Victorian Gothic style, with a particularly harmonious interior.