St Tysoi, Llansoy

Llansoy lies in the area of rich farmland between the Usk and the Wye. Its attractive little church, built of red sandstone with a stone tiled roof, is the only known dedication to St Tysoi or Tissoi. 

The date of foundation is unknown, but Tysoi is believed to have been a pupil of St Dyfrig, first Bishop of Llandaff. After the Norman conquest, 'Llandesoe' is listed as being part of the Lordship of Usk, and a rector is recorded here in the 14th century. The current churchyard takes up half of the original oval monastic settlement or "llan".

Although the church has one doorway (between the tower and nave) of 13th/14th century date, most of the fabric dates 15th century, including the nave and the small chancel (both with original barrel-vaulted roofs). There was originally a rood screen and loft, the stairs to which can still be seen.  The low, crenellated tower is later, replacing a wooden belfry in the 17th Century. The church was restored sympathetically in the mid-19th century, and, with the exception of the 18th century altar-rails, the furnishings all date from this period. 

The interior is whitewashed, except for the words "This is the Gate of Heaven" painted above the chancel arch. One of the south nave windows has some brightly coloured late 20th Century glass, depicting the earth, moon and sun, above a rainbow with a dove: jolly or jarring, depending on your point of view!

The church is of particular interest to me, as it is one of the few where my forebears have identifiable graves: my Great-great-great grandmother Ann was one of the Jenkins family, who were farmers in the parish for over 150 years, and a number of their extensive family (including her parents) are buried here. Ann had 14 siblings, some of whom never married and remained working the farm throughout the 19th Century. Her father, the redoubtably named Hercules, was churchwarden here.

The church is now part of the Monmouthshire Ministry Area, with a Holy Communion on the second Sunday and a lay-led service on the fourth.

St Tysoi, Church Lane, Llansoy, NP15 1EX

St Cadoc, Raglan

St Cadoc sits on a slope below the crossroads in the little town of Raglan, its tower a prominent landmark. Like the town, the church is rather overshadowed by its impressive castle, but it is worth a look nonetheless.

The church reflects the succession of the owners of the castle: although probably founded by the de Clare family, development from the 12th to the 14th century was thanks to their successors, the Bluets. Of this period, the 14th century chancel survives. Major rebuilding took place in the 15th century under the Herberts and then the Somersets, Earls of Beaufort. They rebuilt the nave, and added both the tower (c.1460) and the Beaufort Chapel of two bays, north of the chancel. 

The church suffered badly during the Civil War, when Parliamentary troops damaged the chapel and desecrated the tombs during the siege of Raglan. A comprehensive restoration by Wyatt in 1868 for the 8th Duke of Beaufort saw the chapel restored, a north aisle of two bays erected to its west, and most of the windows replaced.

With its rubble walls and stone tile roofs, the church belies the grandeur of its patrons: this effect continues inside, where the modest nave and chancel with their scraped walls and barrel-vaulted roofs feel positively rustic - an effect heightened by the dark Victorian stained glass. Of greater interest is the Beaufort Chapel, which has the shattered remains of the effigies: these comprise the 3rd and 4th Earls of Worcester, William Somerset (d. 1589) and Edward (d. 1628), and Edward's wife Elizabeth (d. 1621). The Somersets themselves lie buried in a crypt beneath the chancel: this has been opened several times, and a brass plaque in the chancel described those thought to be buried there. The remaining fittings are all 19th century, although the pulpit has five panels of blind tracery, apparently C15, believed to come from a lost rood screen.

The church is now one of a dizzying number in the Heart of Monmouthshire Ministry Area, and has a regular Sunday Holy Communion, with a mid-week communion, alongside meetings of the Mothers' Union. The church is evidently very popular for weddings - there were two during my stay here.

St Cadoc, Chepstow Road, Raglan NP15 2EP

St Peter, Bryngwyn

Bryngwyn feels very tucked away, located on a quiet road junction a few miles north west of Raglan. It serves a scattered, rural settlement of farms and houses, typical of this part of Monmouthshire. Perhaps surprisingly then, no less an author than Gerald of Wales records that there was a church here in 1180, built by Aeddan Gwaethfoed, Lord of Clytha. The Cadw listing also records that the Rev. William Crawley was rector for an impressive 62 years, 1834-96.

The oldest parts of the present church date from the 13th century, and include the west doorway and a lancet above, now both opening into the tower, added in the late 14th or early 15th century. The remaining fabric was substantially rebuilt in the 15th century, including the nave, chancel and pretty wooden south porch. The two-bay north aisle, chancel arch and east window owe their existence to a thorough restoration of John Pritchard in 1871. An interesting feature is the late medieval two-level window at the south east end of the nave, to illuminate a long-vanished rood.

The cosy interior is cheerfully bright, helped by the prevalence of clear glass and whitewashed walls. Most of the fittings are Victorian, save for a late mediaeval font and 17th century altar rails, and a bold neo-Gothic reredos of 1923.

Remote it may be, but it is clearly well looked after - the churchyard being immaculately mown on my visit. Part of the Heart of Monmouth Ministry Area, it has a fortnightly communion.

St Peter, Bryngwyn NP15 2DB

St David's, Manordeifi

 

St Llawddog, Cilgerran

St Mary, Cardigan

St Brynach, Nevern

St Andrew, Bayvil

St Mary, Newport

St Thomas, St Dogmael's

St John the Baptist, Axbridge

St Andrew, Cheddar

All Saints, Nunney

The village of Nunney, just south west of Frome, is best known for its attractively moated castle, described by Pevsner as "aesthetically the most impressive castle in Somerset". The nearby church, approached from the castle via a footbridge over the Nunney Brook, contains the impressive tombs of some of the castle's owners.

The church itself (and the chancel in particular) dates from the 13th century, with transepts added in the mid-14th, the arcades slightly later, and the roof and tower in the late 15th or early 16th century. The church was heavily restored in 1874, when the aisles were extended west (they now flank the tower very symmetrically). Inside, the chancel walls are rather scraped, but the real interest lies in its furnishings.

Most impressive are the monuments of the families who owned the castle, grouped together in the north transept. Beneath the window lies Sir John de la Mare (d.1383), the castle's builder, his feet resting on a lion. Beneath him lie Sir John Paulet (d. 1436) and his wife Constance. Sir John's surcoat is decorated with the De la Mare lions and wears the Lancastrian collar of interlinked 'SS', over a tomb chest with shields within quatrefoils. Adjacent is the tomb of Richard Prater (1540-1580) and his wife, he in armour and both wearing ruff collars. The tomb chest has Ionic columns and more shields, only this time in rather florid cartouches. Prater bought the castle just three years before his death, in 1577.

The church also has a badly defaced 14th Century wall painting of St George on one of the north arcade piers: St George and his lance can easily be made out, but not much of the dragon. The background is decorated fleur-de-lis and the White Hart, symbol of Richard II. Nearby is the Norman font, decorated with a turban-like spiral, and a splendid conical font cover, dated 1684. The rather battered chancel screen is 15th Century, decorated with tracery, vine leaves, angels and family crests.

The church is now one of five in the parish of Postlebury, along with those of Wanstrow, Witham Friary, Cloford, and Marston Bigot. All Saints has a Holy Communion every Friday and on the third Sunday of the month, and on alternating second Sundays hosts "Soul Food", an informal evening service of worship.

All Saints, High Street, Nunney BA11 4LN

All Saints, Chitterne

The village of Chitterne sits hidden in a fold of Salisbury Plain, its church of All Saints is a Victorian replacement for two mediaeval parish churches.

The church was built in 1863, to the designs of Thomas Henry Wyatt (1807-1880). At one time president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, he was particularly prolific in Wiltshire, designing or overseeing the restoration of over 50 churches. Built of flint and stone in a chequerboard pattern, All Saints has a stout west tower, and a large nave of four bays with broad aisles and clerestory, all executed in the Perpendicular style. The chancel is a rather more modest affair, a polygonal apse just half the height of the nave. The spacious interior is plastered but not whitewashed, and pleasantly bright, despite the prevalence of Victorian stained glass.

The furnishings include a Norman font, with a series of plain roundels at the foot of the bowl for decoration. The pulpit is also from the earlier church, a pretty example of Jacobean woodwork. The chancel of the old St Mary's survives half a mile away, still in use as an occasional mortuary chapel.

The church hosts services on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, with a 10:30 all age family service of communion on the second and an 9am said communion on the fourth. There is also a monthly prayer and bible study on the first Sunday of the month.

All Saints, Townsend, Chittern BA12 0LG