St Paulinus, Llangors, Breconshire

Description

Dedication: St Paulinus

Denomination: Anglican

Built: 15th century (tower)
Rebuilt: 1874

Photography: John Ball
Date: 5 March 2010
Camera: Nikon D50 digital SLR

Note 1: The church of St Paulinus at Llangorse, nine kilometres east of Brecon, is a late Perpendicular edifice much reconstructed in 1874. It has a few surviving late medieval and Tudor features, including a fine tower, but internally lacks any early fittings other than a font, and a clutch of early medieval memorial stones. These together with the former curvilinear churchyard should establish the site as an early medieval foundation. The tower masonry appears homogeneous and is thought to be 15th century. Nave north wall largely rebuilt. South aisle may have had upper part of south wall rebuilt, and there is ambivalent evidence that it has been extended eastwards in the late medieval period. Chancel also wholly rebuilt in 1874 though it is not clear whether that part that now forms the sanctuary is a replacement or a new feature of the Victorian restoration. There is some evidence for the latter, implying that the medieval church was a double aisled structure. [Source: Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) website, where further details are provided]

Note 2: The location beside a stream and the curvilinear churchyard points to an early medieval foundation. There is a reference to an early medieval monastery at Llangors which is thought to have functioned from the 7th century until no later than the Norman Conquest but its precise location is not known and it cannot be assumed that it preceded St Paulinus's church on this spot [Source: Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) website]

Image 4:

Nave, chancel, sanctuary and east window.

Image 5:

Nave and west wall.

Image 6, 7:

Carved stone heads on chancel arch.

Note 2: The west tower, the nave and the south aisle with a ribbed barrel roof are mainly late 15th century but older masonry may survive in the nave north wall. Thomas Nicholson rebuilt the chancel arch in 1874. The font (below left) is of circa 1300, and there are fragments of three memorial stones (below right) dating from the 7th to the 11th centuries.
[Source: The Old Parish Churches of Mid Wales, by Mike Salter, published 2003, Folly Publications, Malvern. ISBN 1-871731-62-3]

Image 8:

Note 3: The church features a font dating to 1300. The church itself is 15th century and features a barrel roof, and early Tudor doors and windows. There has been some mid 19th century refurbishment. The church contains many features of historic and architectural interest. [Source: BritainExpress.com]

Image 9:

Note 4: South aisle. Flagged floor with graveslabs re-used in it at both east and west ends. Those at the east end are the earliest (17th century) and certainly run under the organ platform. At the west end are three of 1760, 1762 and 1777. [Source: Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) website]

Image 10:

Evan Williams memorial on north wall of nave.

• http://www.jlb2011.co.uk/walespic/churches/llangors2.htm (link opens in new window)