St Tyfodwg's Church

Heritage listing

Reason for designation: Listed as a basically medieval church, but included at Grade II* on account of the outstanding monument in the chancel, which is of national importance in Britain to the iconography and understanding of medieval art and universal practice of pilgrimage. History: The parish church of the parish of Llandyfodwg is believed to have been founded by St Tyfodwg ap Gwilfyw, a Breton disciple of St Illtyd, in the C6 on a pilgrimage route from the E of Wales leading to St Davids. Medieval structure survives in the W tower, and parts of the N nave wall, and was extensively altered or rebuilt by J Pritchard in the 1870 s, and the chancel S and E walls rebuilt by G E Halliday in 1893-4 at the behest of Miss Olive Talbot of Margam Castle. Exterior: Tower and N wall of uncoursed rubble; the rebuilt S nave wall and chancel are coursed, with limestone dressings. Slate roof. The building comprises a chancel, nave with W tower, and S porch. Two and 3-light trefoil-headed windows to the nave; large moulded S door to the chancel, with a 2-light low-side window and cusped windows, but a well-detailed Perpendicular style 3-light E window. A blocked arch appears on the S side of the nave at the E end. Tall W tower with deep crenellated parapet set out on a corbel table. Depressed headed W door, and 2-light windows with labels. Over the tall slightly chamfered outer arch of the porch is an inscribed sundial of 1769 with an iron gnomon. Built into the external wall are 2 monuments, (a) round topped, to John William of .... Glynogwr, d. 1797, and (b) a second taller slab, illegible but for the date of death 1728. Interior: The walls rendered in the C19. Three sided boarded timber vault. Narrow chancel of 3 bays, all C19 arch-braced trusses with carved square bosses. On the

From Cadw under OGL v3.