St Teilo's Church, Llandeloy
Encyclopedia
St Teilo's Church, Llandeloy, is a redundant church
in the village of Llandeloy, Pembrokeshire
, Wales, dedicated to Saint Teilo
. It has been designated by Cadw
as a Grade II listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
.
architect John Coates Carter. The design followed Arts and Crafts
principles, that is, to use the simplest available local materials, without attempting to copy the style of any particular period. After the church was closed on 2002, it was taken into the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.
with a slate
roof. It has a "humble exterior". At the west end is a double-arched gable
d bellcote. Its plan consists of a nave
and a chancel
, with a south transept
. The chancel inclines slightly to the right. The west window is "tiny". In the north wall of the nave is an arched doorway and a long window, and in the south wall are two square-headed windows. At the east end is a single pointed window. In the north wall of the chancel is a long narrow window and the south wall has two square-headed windows. In the transept are two long lancet window
s on the south wall. All the windows have rough (not ashlar
) jambs
.
with its loft dominates the interior. The loft has a carving of the Crucifixion
on its front. In the angle between the rood screen and the north wall is a simple three-sided pulpit
. The loft is reached by a stairway in the north wall. In the nave, the pews are simple, with open backs. There are two stone fonts
. One is built from ancient stones found during the excavation carried out before the church was rebuilt. The other is octagonal, standing on three steps. The reredos
consists of a rectangular wooden panel painted in gesso
and coloured with tempera
. Its frame is elaborately carved. Also in the church are a stoup
, and a pair of piscina
s carved from slate. The stained glass in the east window and in the transept date from about 1926, and that in the nave south windows from about 1936.
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...
in the village of Llandeloy, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, Wales, dedicated to Saint Teilo
Saint Teilo
Saint Teilo, was a British Christian saint - a monk, bishop and founder of monasteries and churches. He was from Penalun , near Tenby, in Pembrokeshire, in south 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 probably originated in the 12th century, and later served as the village school. However by the 1840s it was a ruin. It was rebuilt in 1926–27 from the ruins, and was designed by the CardiffCardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
architect John Coates Carter. The design followed Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
principles, that is, to use the simplest available local materials, without attempting to copy the style of any particular period. After the church was closed on 2002, it was taken into the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.
Exterior
St Teilo's is constructed in stone rubbleRubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
with a 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...
roof. It has a "humble exterior". At the west end is a double-arched 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...
d bellcote. Its plan consists of a 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...
and a 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...
, with a south transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
. The chancel inclines slightly to the right. The west window is "tiny". In the north wall of the nave is an arched doorway and a long window, and in the south wall are two square-headed windows. At the east end is a single pointed window. In the north wall of the chancel is a long narrow window and the south wall has two square-headed windows. In the transept are two long lancet window
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...
s on the south wall. All the windows have rough (not ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
) jambs
Door jamb
A doorjamb is the vertical portion of the frame onto which a door is secured. The jamb bears the weight of the door through its hinges, and most types of door latches and deadbolts extend into a recess in the doorjamb when engaged, making the "true" and strength of the doorjambs vitally important...
.
Interior
The interior is "beautiful and evocative". It is long and low, with exposed stone walls. The rood screenRood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
with its loft dominates the interior. The loft has a carving of the Crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
on its front. In the angle between the rood screen and the north wall is a simple three-sided pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
. The loft is reached by a stairway in the north wall. In the nave, the pews are simple, with open backs. There are two stone fonts
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
. One is built from ancient stones found during the excavation carried out before the church was rebuilt. The other is octagonal, standing on three steps. The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
consists of a rectangular wooden panel painted in gesso
Gesso
Gesso is a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these...
and coloured with tempera
Tempera
Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium . Tempera also refers to the paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the 1st centuries AD still exist...
. Its frame is elaborately carved. Also in the church are a stoup
Holy water font
A holy water font or stoup is a vessel containing holy water generally placed near the entrance of a church. It is used in Catholic Church and Lutheran churches, as well as some Anglican churches to make the Sign of the Cross using the holy water upon entrance and exit...
, and a pair of piscina
Piscina
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...
s carved from slate. The stained glass in the east window and in the transept date from about 1926, and that in the nave south windows from about 1936.