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Latitude: 51.7302 / 51°43'48"N
Longitude: -3.0701 / 3°4'12"W
OS Eastings: 326193
OS Northings: 204044
OS Grid: SO261040
Mapcode National: GBR J2.2BG8
Mapcode Global: VH79K.QRVZ
Plus Code: 9C3RPWJH+3X
Entry Name: Church of St Thomas
Listing Date: 28 July 1997
Last Amended: 28 July 1997
Grade: II
Source: Cadw
Source ID: 18582
Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary
ID on this website: 300018582
Location: In the centre of Talywain standing in an extensive rectangular rubble walled churchyard.
County: Torfaen
Town: Pontypool
Community: Abersychan
Community: Abersychan
Locality: Talywain
Built-Up Area: Abersychan
Traditional County: Monmouthshire
Tagged with: Church building
A church built in the 'Commissioners Gothic' or 'lancet' style in 1831-2 by Edward Haycock of Shrewsbury. It had become necessary with the development of the collieries and the near-by British Ironworks (opened 1823), together with the housing for the newly arrived workers. It was built by John Lee of Pontypool and consecrated on 10/11/1832 as a chapel-of-ease for Pontypool, becoming a parish in its own right in 1844. Reseated in 1869 it was restored in 1974 and is disused at the time of resurvey (December 1996).
Squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings, the west front is rendered. Welsh slate roof. Large rectangular barn like church with a small chancel and a very small west porch. Five bay nave with the bays divided by pilaster buttresses with off-sets. Each bay has a lancet window with dripmould over; leaded glazing. Diagonal corner buttresses, moulded eaves gutter, plain roof with kneelers and gabled bell-cote on west gable. The west end has a window on either side of a small gabled porch with kneelers and diagonal buttresses, cross to gable. Smaller lancet window without dripmould above porch, roundel above this. Chancel has triple Early English window (boarded up at time of resurvey).
The interior has been stripped out apart from the west gallery which has a panelled front and is supported on two slim cast iron columns. The under gallery was divided into rooms with a light timber and glass front in c1960. Chamfered four-centred chancel arch. Moulded plaster cornice, five beams on corbelled brackets support the flat ceiling.
Included as a scarce South Wales example of an Anglican church of the 1830's and of historic interest as a church for a newly developed industrial parish.
External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.
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