St Bride's Church, Llansantffraed Explained

The Church of St Bride (or St Bridget)
Pushpin Map:Wales Monmouthshire
Pushpin Mapsize:200
Map Caption:Location in Monmouthshire
Location:Llansantffraed, Monmouthshire
Country:Wales
Coordinates:51.785°N -2.9332°W
Denomination:Church in Wales
Founded Date:14th century
Status:parish church
Functional Status:Active
Heritage Designation:Grade II*
Designated Date:9 January 1956
Architectural Type:Church
Style:Norman
Parish:Llanarth with Llansantffraed
Deanery:Abergavenny
Archdeaconry:Monmouth
Diocese:Monmouth
Priest:The Reverend J Humphries

The Church of St Bride (or St Bridget) in Llansantffraed near Raglan, Monmouthshire, Wales, is a parish church of Norman origins. The church was restored by John Prichard and John Pollard Seddon in the 19th century but retains much of its earlier fabric. It is an active parish church in the parish of Llansantffraed, Monmouthshire's smallest parish, and is a Grade II* listed building.

History

The church has Norman origins with a considerable amount of the fabric remaining. The building date for the bellcote is uncertain, but it post-dates the Norman building, and pre-dates the Victorian restoration. Pollard and Seddon worked at the church during 1856–1857, adding the porch in the process. Aside from re-roofing and general maintenance in the 1990s, it has been little altered since. It remains an active church in the parish of Llansantffraed,[1] Monmouthshire's smallest parish. A late-medieval cross in the churchyard has its own Grade II listing.

Architecture and description

The church is built of Old Red Sandstone. It is small, with an "oversize(d)" bellcote. The architectural historian John Newman notes the "unforgettable monuments", comprising a series of wall-mounted gravestones dating from the 17th century which record the ancestors of a William Jones, and run back to 1438.

References

. John Newman (architectural historian). The Buildings of Wales. Gwent/Monmouthshire. 2000. Penguin. London. 0-14-071053-1.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Churches – The Church in Wales. The Church in Wales.