Church of St Cynllo, Troedyraur, Ceredigion

History

Rebuilt apart from tower in 1868-70 by John Middleton & Son, of Cheltenham, replacing a church of c1810. Largely paid for by Sir T. D. Lloyd of Bronwydd. Builders: Davies & Thomas of Penrhiwllan. The tower was called "modern" in 1867 and had a slated spire, it may date from 1810, but looks older. The present spire dates from 1868-70. Stone carving outside and inside may be by Boulton of Cheltenham. The original N vestry was converted to an organ chamber and a vestry added at the nave SW, 1897, by E. V. Collier of Carmarthen.

Exterior

Coursed rubble stone with Bath stone dressings, steep tile roof with crested ridge. Coped shouldered gables and cross finials. Nave, chancel, N organ chamber, S tower with lean-to vestry to left. Decorated Gothic style. Raised plinth, elaborate window tracery with circles in heads, hoodmoulds with carved head stops, moulded course below chancel sills, stepped buttresses (clasping at outer angles), and ornate carved chancel eaves course with foliate bosses. Four-bay nave, with 2-light windows, 4 to N, 2 to S, 3-light big W window. SW lean-to vestry has reused original nave S window in W end, and S pointed door. Tower to right is short, square with octagonal SW stair up to base of bell-chamber, which has plain leaded lancets. Pointed S door, triangle E window both 1868. Overhanging slate broach spire, with louvred lucarnes. Chancel is narrower, two-bay, with traceried single-lights, 2 to S, one to N, N organ chamber with N chimney (vestry until 1897) and ornate 3-light E window.

Interior

Remarkable High Victorian polychrome interior in brick to nave, stone to chancel. Nave walls are red brick banded in black brick and Bath stone, with chequer work in red and white brick under eaves. Porch under tower is also polychrome brick with ornate shafted inner door. Segmental pointed window heads are in black brick and Bath stone, former first S window has been infilled in ashlar over pointed vestry door. Eight-bay open nave roof of arched-braced collar trusses with windbracing. Four trusses are carried down to massive Bath stone corbels with floral carving. The chancel arch is especially ornate on corbels of three angels, thick marble column shafts with massive foliate caps and moulded arch slightly banded in grey stone. Some foliate carving. Hoodmould with carved head stops. Two steps to chancel, which has boarded panelled seven-sided roof with light stenciling. Ashlar lightly-banded walls with foliate-carved dado rail. Four carved stone musician angel corbels and four smaller angels in angels. N organ arch, segmental pointed with two pairs of musician angels as corbels. Encaustic tile floors, more ornate in sanctuary. One step to sanctuary, brass altar rails. One step edged in red marble to altar. East window has thin column shafts to tracery, marble angle shafts with floral caps, ballflower ornament to banded arch, and hoodmould with ballflower and head stops. Low pointed piscina to chancel N and small aumbry recess to S with marble shafting. Seat recess under first S window.
Fittings: Font dated 1869 given by Tylers of Mount Gernos on massive squat granite shaft, lush floral band, octagonal bowl with Evangelist symbols in four roundels and carved scenes in other four. Very ornate ashlar pulpit front, memorial to G.M. Lloyd (d1849), canted to nave, with broad centre Gothic arch and narrower arches at outer angles. Marble-shafted columns, with floral capitals and angel arch-supporters. Arches are deeply moulded with floral ornament, outer arch heads are outsailing. Carving of Christ preaching in centre and small statues of saints under corner arches. Alabaster diapering in spandrels with two marble carved heads in small roundels. Alabaster moulded top slab. Stone steps up to right and brass rail. Canopied statue of Ruth in nave SE angle to Henrietta Lloyd (d1871). Gothic organ by Vowles of Bristol. Very ornate reredos of 1871 given by Tylers of Mount Gernos, diapered stone with two alabaster angel roundels, diapered centre mandorla with white marble cross ornamented with marble half-spheres. Marble shelf with ballflower ornament. Gothic stalls and reading-desk. Pews with pierced quatrefoils in bench ends and nine 3-branched candelabra.
Stained glass: Fine E window 1878 by J.H. Powell of Hardman & Co., C14 style with Christ, St Thomas and St Mary. Three chancel side windows 1909. Nave N third window 1928 by A.L. and C.E. Moore. West window 1919 by A.L. Moore.
Monuments: From W: on N: Sarah Lloyd (d1812) draped urn, matching monument opposite to James Lloyd (d1827). Next N and S, 2 matching fine neoclassical memorials, on N to Sarah Jones (d1796) and John Jones (d1807), and opposite to Thomas Lloyd (d1775) and Ann Lloyd (d1787), with draped sarcophagus, by Foster and Walker of Bristol. Above S door, plaques to E. Colby (d1824) and G. Davies of Penybeili (early C19), latter with urn. S wall Gothic monument to Thomas Lloyd (d1845), by The Marble Works, Westminster. N side marble plaque with urn and tree to Mary Lloyd (d1830) and marble pedimented plaque with coloured glass lozenges to Sir M. Lloyd (d1933).

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* as the best example in S.W. Wales of a High Victorian estate church, with exceptional polychrome interior and carved work.

External Links

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