History

An important C7 foundation dedicated to the little known early C6 Breton saint, Lagneia Lawhir. It is one of the seven clas churches of Powys, and the mother church for Llanidloes and Llanwnnog. It received favoured status at the Norman conquest, and uniquely retained its clas abbot up to the late C13. The church, which had a double nave in the Powys tradition with a 4-bay timber arcade supporting a large single span roof, hipped at the end, was extensively restored by G.E.Street in 1865. He was able to retain only the N wall of the chancel and the tower. The restored church seated 326, with a further 70 seats financed by the Incorporated Society for Buildings and Churches.

Exterior

The medieval work is of mixed uncoursed rubble with red sandstone dressings (said to come from the Roman fort of Caersws - Haslam); the C19 work is of greywacke rubble with limestone dressings, and slate roofs with crested clayware ridges and gable crosses. The building consists of a short undifferentiated chancel, and organ chamber and vestry at the E end of the S nave. A C19 porch leads to the medieval hollow chamfered C14 arch in the tower. C19 2-light windows with varied tracery, and 3-light square headed windows with trefoil tracery on the N side, reflecting the pre-restoration windows. The sturdy tower has a slightly projecting stair on the NW corner, with a small medieval light. The upper stage was rebuilt, replacing the low timber framed top, characteristic of eastern Powys, with a higher weatherboarded stage and pyramidal roof.

Interior

Within the tower, the inner arch of the door is C13, with a tall arris roll-moulding and ill-formed pointed arch on chamfered imposts. Wide tower arch, C14, of 3 chamfered orders. Both nave walls are plastered. Trussed rafter barrel roof over both naves. Arcade of 4 bays with alternating 4-shaft and octagonal columns carrying arches of 2 chamfered orders. At the chancel end the roof has panelled boarding. C19 chancel arch on corbels, and an arched opening on the S side houses the organ. Two medieval wall tombs survive in the N wall, and a simple trefoiled piscina E of a C19 sedilia on the S. Stone and wood reredos. In the vestry, a triptych containing 5 carved wooden panels from the former timber arcade, representing the Fall, with a naïve Adam and Eve, and the four evangelist symbols, reset together in 1865.

Fittings: All of 1865 but organ later. Boldly detailed chancel furniture with panelled fronts with arches, strapwork and gadrooning, raised 2 steps above nave, that on the N set forward more recently. Pulpit, on the N side, a lobed panelled octagon on stone base. Font, under tower, also C19, but with the defaced C15 font with quatrefoil panels set behind. Bell in tower of c.1450.

Glass: All C19. Chancel: E window, Crucifixion, by Clayton & Bell, 1857. N side - Resurrection; N Nave - Revelations; S nave, S side: St Paul explaining the gospels to Caractacus and Brav the blesséd (sic).

Monuments: Chancel, N side, Pryce Davies of Maesmawr Hall, †1852. Under tower, 5 wall tablets, reset at restoration: (a) Corniced white marble on grey, to George Meares †1849, by J.Wills, London; (b) white marble and slate, to Jessie Meares †1842, by Vaughan of Oswestry; (c) Triangular tablet on brackets against slate, to Thomas Kissey †1849, by Underwood; (d) white cross on slate, to Lousa Meares, undated; and on S wall (e) Oval white, inset in grey corniced tablet with swept head, to Edward Davies of Maesmawr †1668. Also an unfixed ledger slab to Mary Thomas and John Davies, †1727.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a church with an important regional history, with some medieval fabric, and sensitively restored by the eminent architect, G.E.Street.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29486566

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)