82677

 

II  

Designated  

30/04/2004  

30/04/2004  

Church of St James the Great  

 

Pembrokeshire  

Haverfordwest  

Haverfordwest  

Walwyn's Castle  

187274  

211214  

 

In a prominent position on the top of a hill in the centre of Walwyn's Castle.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Anglican parish church, medieval, mostly rebuilt on old foundations 1868 to 1879 by F. Wehnert, succeeded by E. H. Lingen Barker. The base of the tower is medieval, the rest replaced. The church was mostly demolished and rebuilt in 1868-9, the architect then died and work stopped. In 1872 E. H. Lingen Barker was appointed to complete the work, he roofed the tower and porch and fitted out the interior 1877-9. Bell in tower 1920. The painted reredos by John Coates Carter is dated 1916 but looks more of the mid 1920s.  

Church, coursed squared sandstone to C19 work, rougher rubble to base of tower. Grey sandstone tracery. Slate roofs with coped gables and finials. W tower, nave, N porch, chancel and N vestry. Windows are pointed with ogee Decorated Gothic tracery, and stone voussoirs. Tower has vaulted medieval base upper part rebuilt with 2 cusped pointed bell-lights each side (except N) with slate louvres and relieving arch. Moulded string course under battlements, higher battlements to NE stair tower. N side has single bell light and stair projection to left, with two original medieval loops and 3 C19 loops. W side has C19 ground floor 2-light window with quatrefoil in head and stone voussoirs; single light with trefoil over at mid height. Nave of four bays has pointed windows with stone voussoirs and 2-light ogee tracery. Sloping buttress at W corners. Large porch in second bay on N with coped gable and finial, pointed arch and hoodmould. Tiled floor and arch-braced collar truss within. Pointed S doorway with boarded door and iron hinges. Piscina on E wall. Chancel has lower roof and lean-to projections each side, the stonework continuous with nave. These reproduce medieval features. Chancel S 2-light window. Ornate tracery to 3-light pointed E window with hoodmould. N side has lean-to vestry with coped verges and pointed door to N wall right. E end 2-light pointed traceried window.  

Tower has narrow pointed stone vault and segmental-pointed reveal to W window. Very low rectangular opening to medieval winding stair. Whitewashed plastered walls, 4-bay nave roof of arched-braced collar trusses on small stone corbels. Tile floors. Chancel arch is moulded with an uninterrupted keel moulding with little rosettes in the hollows each side. Three-bay roof with heavier arch-braced collar trusses, cusped over collars, and on larger corbels. Chancel recesses each side have segmental-pointed heads with stone voussoirs. Pointed N door to vestry. Encaustic tiles in sanctuary, more elaborate and glazed on altar step. Square shelf recess in S wall. Seat set into S window reveal. Fittings: C12 small square Bath stone font with tapering sides, on circular shaft and with round base moulding. C19 pitch pine pews and Gothic pulpit with shafted pointed panels on 3 sides. c. 1920 War memorial oak screen of 5 bays, the centre one wider. Altar rails on later C19 iron standards with twisted shafts and leaves. Reredos dated 1916 (but possibly of c1925) by John Coates Carter, with three painted gesso panels in unusual style. Christ in centre with lettered scrolls in gold and four figures - two saints and two angels. Stained glass. E window of 1928 by Powell of Whitefriars to J. B. Summers of Rosemoor, Mary and Child with Magi and shepherds. Tower W window has late C20 glass of landscape and lamb. Memorials: nave white marble on grey fossiliferous stone, to Martha Rees of Gilton (d 1837); plaque to W. Whish 'removed from this life while bathing at Milford Haven', aged 14. Chancel N memorial in white marble and grey stone to W. Moore of Romans Castle (d 1796). Chancel S white marble plaque with inset coloured marble border, by Jones & Co of Bristol, to William Cozens of Rosepool (d 1784) and his wife (d 1776). Neo-Grec memorial in white marble with grey fossiliferous stone to John Cozens of Rosepool (d 1814), John Cozens (d 1817), William Cozens of Sandyhaven (d 1824) and his wife Anne (d 1821), made by Williams of Haverfordwest.  

Included as a landmark church rebuilt in C19 but retaining a medieval tower vault.