84441

 

II  

Designated  

27/05/2005  

27/05/2005  

Church of St Michael  

 

Powys  

Trallong  

Brecon  

Llanfihangel Nant Bran  

294433  

234271  

 

Situated in the centre of the village of Llanfihangel Nant Bran.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Anglican parish church with medieval W tower, the rest rebuilt in 1882 by J. L. Pearson for £1,300. When visited in the 1860s by Sir Stephen Glynne it was in poor condition, whitewashed with all windows 'new' except for a square headed C15 E window of two lights and a chancel S 2-light window. The restoration for Archdeacon Henry de Winton was first proposed in 1870, designed in 1880 and completed 1882.  

Parish church, rubble stone with plain tiles to body of church, stone tiles to pyramid roof of tower. W tower and single-roofed nave and chancel with S porch. Medieval tower has large squared blocks in masonry, forming distinct courses. Raised plinth with chamfered top, and roll-moulded string course just above. Small C15 two-light segmental pointed bell-light to N, hollow-moulded, missing the mullion, similar but flat-headed 2-light to E, blocked to W. W side has a chamfered loop further down and another just over base string course. S side has a single loop to ground floor and broad full-height stair projection to right with one loop. A fragment of older wall to right shows that the tower was added to an earlier church. N side has buttress to left to just above mid height. Body of the church is single-roofed with simple grey sandstone nave 2-light windows with quatrefoil above under pointed hoodmould, four to N and three to S, and one two-light chancel window each side, shorter, with cusped heads to lights, the S one with some reused medieval stones. Flush quoins. E end has pointed hoodmould over three stepped lancets, with small trefoils above outer lancets. Roof overhangs at E end. Big S porch at left, gabled with unchamfered pointed doorway with hood. Pointed inner S door possibly reusing old stones, with C19 imposts and hood. Studded plank door with strap hinges. Pine roof with collar rafters and some arch bracing.  

Plastered walls, broad roof. Tower has modern ceiling, Tudor-arched stair door to S with pyramid stops, to winding stone stair. Chamfered pointed door to nave. Deep splayed reveals to W and S narrow loops. Roof is of seven bays with arch-braced collar trusses, cusped above collars. Tie-beam to second truss from W and to fourth, as top of a timber chancel screen. The screen is unusual, designed not to interrupt sight-line, with single very broad and high arch on posts close to the outer wall, but inset far enough for tracery in the open outer panels. Panelled low screen each side of centre. One step to chancel, one to sanctuary, two to altar. E end has string course stepped over painted ashlar reredos of five trefoil headed panels, left uncarved. Stone seat in s window reveal. Fittings: Good ashlar font, ten-sided with moulded top and base, on a squat round shaft ringed with attached column shafts, on 10-sided base. Pine pews. Timber pulpit on three-sided ashlar base with moulded cornice, panelled canted oak top to simple Gothic design. Chancel stalls with simple open front kneeler, shaped bench ends. Reading desk with Gothic blind tracery. Altar rail on four iron standards. Memorials: E wall oval marble plaque to Rev J. Williams died 1779. Nave S to Howel Powell of Camnant died 1821, with draped urn; Richard Powell died 1822. W wall has five eroded plaques early C19. Stained glass: E window c. 1920 by J. Wippell & Co, Ascension.  

Included for its special interest as a parish church with medieval tower, and well-designed later C19 main part of the church.