We stopped outside this church for a coffee and cake, hoping to visit. However the building was locked so external photographs must suffice. On returning home and finding the church website I discovered a key is available locally - a notice to this effect in the porch would have been helpful, unless perhaps I missed it!
Of the medieval church of St. David only the tower survives. The remainder was demolished in May, 1879 and rebuilt at the expense of Crawshay Bailey Junior of Maindiff Court. The work cost him over £2,000 for Bailey not only re-erected the church (£1,450) he also gave it four new bells (cast in 1879 by James Barwell, founder of Birmingham; they replaced five smaller ones), a valuable new organ with 'spotted metal' pipes (made by W.G. Vowles of Bristol 1882) and the church-plate (including two gilt chalices) and fittings (including the fine choir-stalls); he also built the churchyard wall and improved the lane from the main road to the church.
This view of the north side suggests that the vestry wall has required reinforcement at some stage in its history.
The architect was John Prichard of Llandaff. The new church was built on the foundation of the old, save that the chancel was elongated, the vestry (organ-chamber) added and the porch enlarged. Crawshay Bailey also built the Lodge (for the then Rector's widow) and gave the Assembly Room for community and Sunday School use. He died relatively young in 1877 and lies buried in the churchyard. The new church was meant to be a facsimile of Llanfoist church, recently restored by Crawshay Bailey in memory of his father who was buried there.
This view of the south side and porch nearly caused my downfall (literally). There is a very steep bank to the south of the church and I slipped down the wet grass!
The new church was constructed of local stone obtained from a quarry near the Walnut Tree Inn. Some of the little stone heads beside the windows have been thought to represent member of Crawshay Bailey's family. After his death his two daughters erected the fine east window to his memory. The old font, of some antiquity, stands at the back of the church by its Victorian counterpart. Other survivals from the earlier church include the Royal Arms of Queen Victoria, the late-medieval grave-slab which once covered the tomb of a priest, (witness the chalice engraved), and the remnants of a churchyard preaching Cross. Crawshay Bailey himself laid the foundation stone (still to be seen) of the new church on 23 May 1879. While building was taking place services were held in the granary of Llanddewi Court. The church was completed and re-consecrated on 22nd January 1880.
Visit the Llanddewi Skirrid web site where I obtained the information on this page - there you will find more information about the church and other interesting information about the village.
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