St Lawrence, Caterham

Saint Lawrence is the ancient church of Caterham, dating from the 11th century. Superseded by St Mary's Church on the opposite side of the road in 1866, it's an atmospheric example of a church untouched by the 19th Century, and its archaeology is unusually easy to read in the fabric.

The church was built in 1095, and originally comprised a nave and rounded apse. Of this period, part of a Norman window remains, and the outline of the apse is partly visible outside on the south wall. To this was added in the 13th Century first south and north chapels, then a south and a north aisle, each of two bays. Towards the end of this work, the chancel was extended and a new chancel arch inserted. In the late 18th century the east end of the chancel and the north aisle wall were rebuilt, partly in brick, and the belfry replaced. The porch was added in 1832. 

The south aisle and chapel are long gone, but the outlines of the arches are clearly visible inside and out, as well as the capitals (inside). The north aisle remains, as wide and longer than the nave. The result is a quirky medley of periods: the north aisle arcade is barely pointed, yet the piers alternate, rounded and octagonal: above the central pillar is a rather alarming gargoyle-like head, bearing a fine set of teeth. The roofs look original, and are certainly old. Although most of the plaster is unpainted, there are faint traces of colouring, including two angels - one in each spandrel of the chancel arch. The chancel has the rustic remains of the lower part of a screen, and a rather striking monument to Elizabeth Legrew (d. 1825) by her son, with a kneeling figure in an ogee arch.

The church has a monthly evening service of contemplative music (Iona or Taize) and in the summer is open on Sunday afternoons for tea and cakes, as well as occasional tours, organised by the Guild of Friends of St. Lawrence's Ancient Church. I can vouch for their welcome, and quality of the cakes!

St Lawrence, Church Hill, Caterham CR3 6SA

St Mary the Virgin, Stratfield Saye

St Mary's is very much an estate church, and sits half a mile from the main house in the grounds of the Stratfield Saye estate. This has been the home to the Dukes of Wellington since the estate was purchased by the first Duke in 1817, with funds voted by a grateful Parliament following the Battle of Waterloo. All but the first and sixth Dukes are interred here.

The church was built to replace a mediaeval church in 1754-8 by the first Lord Rivers (the previous owner of Stratfield Saye). Built of red brick on a Greek-Cross plan in a very restrained classical style, it has a shallow, octagonal dome, and a handsome entrance portico or three arches beneath small round windows. The overall effect is strikingly modern, and resembles inter-war Underground station design (and that is a complement).

The interior is more conventionally chapel like, full of box pews painted a blueish-green, but otherwise very plain. The main points of interest are the memorials, the largest being that of Sir William Pitt (d. 1636) and wife, retained from the earlier church (a bold early classical piece with alabaster effigies). This is flanked on one side by a wall monument to the Pitt family dated 1680, and on the other by an impressive piece by John Flaxman for George, Lord Rivers (d. 1803) with two life-size standing figures in Roman attire. 

The memorials to the Dukes of Wellington and other members of the Wellesley family are altogether more modest affairs, and a brass plaque in the north transept records those family members buried in the vault, including Catherine (d. 1831), wife of the first Duke. The alabaster stemmed font is Victorian, in the style of Wren.

The church has a monthly all age service on the first Sunday, except in January and August. Access is via a drive from the Copse, just south of the main estate entrance, through automatic gates.

St Mary the Virgin, Church Road, Stratfield Saye RG7 2DA

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