Church of the Holy Cross, Kilgwrrwg

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Church of the Holy Cross, Kilgwrrwg
Church of the Holy Cross
Kilgwrrwg, Church of the Holy Cross - geograph.org.uk - 69768.jpg
"a medieval church from a now deserted village"
Monmouthshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Church of the Holy Cross, Kilgwrrwg
Location in Monmouthshire
51°40′56″N2°46′45″W / 51.6822°N 2.7793°W / 51.6822; -2.7793
Location Kilgwrrwg, Monmouthshire
CountryWales
Denomination Church in Wales
Website Holy Cross, Kilgwrrwg
History
Status Parish church
FoundedC13th century
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II*
Designated19 August 1955
Architectural type Church
Style Early English/Decorated
Administration
Diocese Monmouth
Archdeaconry Monmouth
Deanery Netherwent
Parish Kilgwrrwg
Clergy
Vicar(s) The Reverend M J Gollop

The Church of the Holy Cross, Kilgwrrwg, Monmouthshire, Wales, is an early medieval parish church that once served a now abandoned village. A Grade II* listed building, the church remains an active parish church and is part of the Severn Wye Ministry Area. [1]

Contents

History

The writer Clive Aslet, who describes the church as "the remotest (.) in Wales", [2] recounts the legend of the founding of the church, on the spot where two yoked heifers rested. [2] The circular churchyard suggests a Celtic, possibly pre-Christian, origin for the site. [2] The present church is early medieval, [3] Cadw suggesting a 13th-century date. [4]

The existing features are from the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries. [4] By the early 19th century, the church was described as little more than "a dilapidated sheepfold". [4] A restoration took place in 1820, at the instigation, and mostly at the expense, of a local schoolmaster, James Davies. [4] More extensive rebuilding was undertaken by John Prichard in 1871, [3] and again in 1977-9 (Cadw) [4] or 1989-90 (Newman). [3] At the time of the 20th century reconstruction, the church was named Holy Cross, no earlier dedication being recorded. [4]

Architecture and description

The church is constructed of Old Red Sandstone, [3] the style a mix of Early English and Decorated. [5] It consists of a chancel, nave, porch and bellcote. [4] The interior is simple, the chancel having a plain truss rather than an arch. [3] The church is Grade II* listed, the listing noting it as an "attractive and little altered medieval church from a now deserted village". [4]

The churchyard contains an early cross, which is both a Grade II listed structure and a Scheduled monument. [6] It is the only complete churchyard cross remaining in Monmouthshire. [7] [lower-alpha 1]

The church has one bell by the William Evans Foundry of Chepstow. [1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Holy Cross, Kilgwrrwg". www.severnwyema.co.uk. Severn Wye Ministry Area. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Aslet 2011, p. 480.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Newman 2000, p. 262.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Cadw. "Church of the Holy Cross, Kilgwrrwg (Grade II*) (2025)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  5. "Holy Cross Church, Kilgwrrwg (307344)". Coflein. RCAHMW . Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  6. Cadw. "Churchyard Cross at the Church of the Holy Cross, Kilgwrrwg (Grade II) (2026)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  7. Evans 1997, p. 12.
  8. Mitchell 1893, p. 26.

Footnotes

  1. The only other complete cross in Monmouthshire is the Cross at Croes Llwyd Farm. [8]

Sources

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