Church Heritage Record 618255

3-bay nave and 2-bay south aisle, two-bay chancel, north vestry, south-west tower, west porch.

Nave and aisle 12m (37ft) wide, the nave 11m (34ft) long; chancel 7m (21.5ft) x 3.50m (11ft).

Designed by TH Rushforth of London, and furnished with the funds to create a quite remarkable building, bursting with detail.  Some artefacts from the previous church on the site, which was mentioned in the Book of Llandaff and in Charters of 1069 and 1160, were relocated in the church, such as the effigy of a Lady, while other monuments and fittings were removed.

The approach to the church is from the west, a path leading along the break of slope from the house and diagonally across it up to the lych-gate.  The composition is arranged so that the initial view is of the tower and the cross looming behind the lych-gate.  The tower itself is of three stages, with a spurred base of the same limestone as the churchyard wall, contrasting strongly with the smooth ashlar sandstone of the rest of the tower. 

The spurs of the base at the west end frame two slim pointed lancets with cogged surrounds and radial voussoirs, above which are two unevenly spaced bands of Bathstone which continue around the nave.  There is a relatively unadorned pointed doorway of two continuous orders in the south face, giving access via a newel staircase to the belfry.

A weathering separates the lower from the second stage, which has a single deeply recessed lancet in each face, flanking which are engaged shafts of polished slate with plain moulded bases and stiff-leaf capitals, a motif repeated throughout.  Radial voussoirs again, the pointed arch of the head springing from a drip-course which is interrupted by the window.

Another weathering separates this stage from the upper stage, which has an intricate quatripartite arcaded belfry opening in each face, in the same style as the window described above. There is a corbel table with carved heads and animals springing from the angles, from which the broach spire rises, with a tall iron wheel cross finial.

The small steeply pitched west porch employs the same polychromatic motifs, with engaged slate shafts and foliate capitals and bands of Bathstone around the pointed arch of three orders of continuous mouldings, firmly couched in the Early English style, which makes one wonder if the architect copied the architectural development of the earlier church.  There is a small statue of St Margaret within a vesica piscis above the arch.

The west end of the nave above this has four round-headed lancets, which have deeply incised chevron ornament to the surrounds, as has a small rose window above. The very steeply pitched roof has overhanging eaves which block some of the already limited light from the two small lancets in the north wall, partlycontributing to the gloom inside.  There are fine carved stone wheel cross finials to the gables.

The south aisle is also sparsely lit by a two-light and a single light in the south wall and a larger plate tracery two-light in the east wall, all with pointed heads, while the chancel has a similar two-light in the south wall and a stepped triple lancet window in the east wall.  Again it would appear that the architectural development of the older church is being reflected.

The interior is a riot of carving and polychromy, all sparsely lit from the narrow windows, the light further muted by the richly coloured stained glass (the weak artificial lighting is still provided by the original gas lamps, supplied by a gas bottle in the vestry).  The atmosphere is truly High Victorian of the highest quality. 

The stonework is everywhere exposed, the cogging around the windows and doors exploiting the contrast between the Bathstone and grey sandstone of the walls for polychromatic effect. 

The chancel arch, aisle arcade and corbel tables are also richly carved with bird and floral motifs, this richness of carving also evident in many of the furnishings and fittings, particularly the font and altar and the ornate pews and choir stalls with their serried ranks of poppyheads.

The chancel arch with its finely carved birds and foliage is brought down to slate colonettes terminating in finely detailed angels.  The chancel roof is also of oak, but a simpler waggon construction.  There is a double sedilie in the sanctuary south wall, a stone dado runs around the walls.   The east window rere-arches are supported by detached slate columns with the usual floriate capitals framing the fine stained glass windows, probably by Clayton and Bell in a 13th century style.

The floors are of encaustic tiles throughout in geometric patterns, with elaborate floral designs in the sanctuary.