Church of St Deinst, Llangarron
The Church of St Deinst, Llangarron, Herefordshire is a church of the Diocese of Hereford, England. The church is dedicated to the Celtic saint Deiniol and is the only church in England to bear such a dedication. It is an active parish church and a Grade I listed building.
History
St Deiniol was a 6th century Celtic ecclesiastic, traditionally recorded as the first Bishop of Bangor.[1] His name is variously rendered as Denoual, Deinst, and Daniel. Church dedications to the saint are rare, St Deinst's in Llangarron being the only such occurrence in England.[a][6] The origins of the church at Llangarron were as a possession of Monmouth Priory.[6] The present structure was mostly constructed in the 14th century, with restorations in the 19th and early 20th centuries.[7] The 14th century work was probably a reconstruction of an earlier wooden church, dating from the 11th century.[8] The later restorations were undertaken by George Pearson in 1841 and by John Pollard Seddon in 1900–1901.[6]
The church remains an active parish church in the Diocese of Hereford.[9] Refurbishment of the building took place in 2009, supported by a grant from the National Churches Trust.[10] The redevelopment included the construction of a community hub, the Garron Centre.[11]
The church is part of 'The Borders Group of Parishes'. The benefice comprises Goodrich with Welsh Bicknor, Marstow, Llangarron, Llangrove and Welsh Newton with Llanrothal.[8]
In recent years the church has held a number of concerts, including a Baroque Concert "The Am’rous Flute", Hereford Concert Band who performed the Big Band sound, Chepstow Male Voice Choir, the Charles Medlam viola da gamba lunchtime recital and the Liberty Street Jazz Band. In 2010 the church was the venue for a Medieval Mystery Play.[8]
Architecture and description
The church is built of Old Red Sandstone, in part carved ashlar and in part rubble infill. The building comprises a nave, chancel, and a tower with an external stair turret.[7] The style is Perpendicular Gothic.[6] Alan Brooks, in his 2012 Herefordshire Pevsner, notes the "substantial" font and the Jacobean pulpit.[6] The 14th-century font is octagonal in shape and perpendicular in design, with carved quatrefoils, tracery and fleurons.[8]
The church contains an early carving, originally thought to be medieval tombstone commemorating a child, but also believed to be Romano-British in date.[b] It is possibly a depiction of Deiniol.[12]
Listing designations
The church is a Grade I listed building.[7] The interior, and the churchyard, contain an unusually large number of listed memorials, all designated Grade II. These include memorials to: Edward Tovey,[13] Richard Knight,[14] Silvaus Taner,[15] the Mathews family,[16] and two named family members, James[17] and William,[18] Edward,[19] Benjamin,[20] and William, all of the Watkins family,[21] the Godwin family,[22] Kate Hartland,[23] Edmund Miles,[24] Hannah Smith,[25] Thomas and Elizabeth Smith,[26] Thomas Wood,[27] two memorials to members of the Woodward family,[28] the Jones family,[29] Walter[30] and Mary Mayos,[31] Mary Miles,[32] Mary Philpotts,[33] Mary Evans,[34] another Mary Evans,[35] Mary Williams,[36] Thomas Carrier,[37] Edward Taylor,[38] two members of the Peake family,[39] and the Gunters.[40]
Other Grade II structures include a sundial which originally formed the tip of the spire and which was removed and reconfigured by Seddon,[41] and three unidentified chest tombs.[42][43][44]
Gallery
- Sundial on top of the former spire finial
- The 14th-century baptismal font
- Top of the former spire
- Chest tomb in the churchyard
Notes
References
- ^ "Bangor Cathedral (43727)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "St Deiniol & St Marcella, Marchwiel". parish.churchinwales.org.uk. The Churches of Bangor Monachorum Group. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "St Deiniol, Worthenbury". parish.churchinwales.org.uk. The Churches of Bangor Monachorum Group. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden". The Church in Wales. 8 October 2020.
- ^ Cadw. "Church of St Deiniol, Itton (Grade II) (2048)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Brooks & Pevsner 2012, p. 479.
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Church of St Deinst (Grade I) (1348911)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d "St Deinst Church Llangarron History". Llangarron Parish Council. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "St Deinst". www.achurchnearyou.com. Church of England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ "St Deinst, Llangarron, Herefordshire". www.nationalchurchestrust.org. National Churches Trust. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Miles, Rebecca (26 April 2016). "Innovative church project prompts national award nomination". Hereford Times.
- ^ "St Deinst, Llangarron". The Megalithic Portal. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Edward Tovey memorial directly south of the chancel in the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1179264)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Richard Knight memorial N of the chancel in the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1348935)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Silvaus Taner memorial against E end of the chancel in the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1179257)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Mathews memorial (Grade II) (1179186)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "James Mathews memorial 16M S of the south nave of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099413)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "William Mathews memorial 2M S of the nave of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099414)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Edward Watkins memorial (Grade II) (1179270)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Benjamin Watkins memorial (Grade II) (1099418)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "William Watkins memorial (Grade II) (1099419)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Godwin memorial 6M S of tower of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099411)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Kate Hartland memorial 15M N of north aisle of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099412)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Edmund Miles memorial 8M S of the south porch of the church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099415)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Hannah Smith headstone 10M S of the chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099416)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Thomas and Elizabeth Smith memorial 18M S of the south porch of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099417)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Thomas Wood headstone against south wall of the nave of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099420)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Two Woodward memorials 1M N of the chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099421)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Jones memorial 8M W of the tower of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1179180)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Walter Mayos memorial 10M NE of the chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1179200)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Mary Mayos memorial 8M NE of the chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1348936)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Mary Miles memorial 8M SE of the south porch of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1179235)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Mary Philpotts headstone 7M S of the chancel arch of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1179249)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Mary Evans memorial 3M S of the chancel arch of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1348933)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Mary Evans memorial 3M S of chancel doorway in the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099410)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Mary Williams memorial 2M S of the chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1179273)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Thomas Carrier memorial 15M E of the chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1348932)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Edward Taylor memorial 15M S of the south porch of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1348938)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Two Peake headstones 9M S of the chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1348937)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Gunter headstone 10M S of the chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1348934)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Sundial 8m SW of the tower of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099406)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Chest tomb with fluted corner balusters 8M SW of the tower of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099407)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Chest tomb with hipped and corner balusters 10M E of the chancel of St Deinst (Grade II) (1099408)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ Historic England. "Chest tomb with gadrooned capping to corner balustrades 7M S of chancel of the Church of St Deinst (Grade II) (1348931)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
Sources
- Brooks, Alan; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2012). Herefordshire. The Buildings of England. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-12575-7.
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