St Odoceus' Church, Llandawke
Encyclopedia
St Odoceus' Church, Llandawke, is a redundant church
situated in a hollow near the road between Llandawke and Laugharne in Carmarthenshire
, Wales. It has been designated by Cadw
as a Grade II listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
.
. When it was inspected by Cadw in 1988 it was described as being "partly overgrown". It was taken under the care of the charity, the Friends of Friendless Churches in 2006, when it was in "a state of dereliction". The charity holds a 999-year lease
with effect from 24 April 2006. A local group of Friends has been formed to assist in its repair and restoration.
with slate
roofs in Gothic
style. Its plan consists of a four-bay
nave
without aisle
s, a three-bay chancel
that is lower and narrower, and a west tower. The tower is squat, in two stages, and it tapers as it rises. In the upper stage, on the west and south sides are lancet
bell openings. Its roof is pyramidal, and on its north side is a stair turret. On the apex of the gable
at the east end of the nave is a crucifix
finial
. The entrance is on the south side of the church through an arched doorway. To the left of the entrance is a two-light, square-headed Perpendicular window and to its right is a two-light Decorated window with Victorian tracery
. The windows in the chancel also have two lights, those on the north wall being square-headed, and those on the east and south walls having pointed heads.
and a recess that formerly contained a tomb. On the north side is a 14th-century effigy
of a figure thought to be that of Margaret Marlos. It is broken into three pieces, which is said to be a reference to her being cut into three pieces by robbers. It was placed in the church in 1902. Also in the church is an early Christian stone slab dating from the 5th or 6th century. It is carved with Ogham and Roman
inscriptions. The oak altar dating from 1882 is "elaborately not to say wildly carved" with representations of flowers.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
situated in a hollow near the road between Llandawke and Laugharne in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, Wales. It has been designated by Cadw
Cadw
-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
as a Grade II listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
.
History
The church dates from the 13th century and it was remodelled during the following century by Sir Guy De Brian, the Lord Marcher of Laugharne. The church was restored during the Victorian eraVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. When it was inspected by Cadw in 1988 it was described as being "partly overgrown". It was taken under the care of the charity, the Friends of Friendless Churches in 2006, when it was in "a state of dereliction". The charity holds a 999-year lease
Leasehold estate
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord....
with effect from 24 April 2006. A local group of Friends has been formed to assist in its repair and restoration.
Exterior
It is constructed in local sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roofs in Gothic
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
style. Its plan consists of a four-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
without aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s, a three-bay chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
that is lower and narrower, and a west tower. The tower is squat, in two stages, and it tapers as it rises. In the upper stage, on the west and south sides are lancet
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
bell openings. Its roof is pyramidal, and on its north side is a stair turret. On the apex of the gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
at the east end of the nave is a crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
. The entrance is on the south side of the church through an arched doorway. To the left of the entrance is a two-light, square-headed Perpendicular window and to its right is a two-light Decorated window with Victorian tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
. The windows in the chancel also have two lights, those on the north wall being square-headed, and those on the east and south walls having pointed heads.
Interior
On the south side of the chancel is a piscinaPiscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
and a recess that formerly contained a tomb. On the north side is a 14th-century effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of a figure thought to be that of Margaret Marlos. It is broken into three pieces, which is said to be a reference to her being cut into three pieces by robbers. It was placed in the church in 1902. Also in the church is an early Christian stone slab dating from the 5th or 6th century. It is carved with Ogham and Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
inscriptions. The oak altar dating from 1882 is "elaborately not to say wildly carved" with representations of flowers.