Church of All Saints, Kemeys Commander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids All Saints Church |
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| Church of All Saints | |
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The entrance and bell gable
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| Location | Kemeys Commander, Monmouthshire |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | c. 13th century |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 18 November 1980 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Heart of Monmouthshire Ministry Area |
| Deanery | Raglan/Usk |
| Archdeaconry | Monmouth |
| Diocese | Monmouth |
The Church of All Saints is a historic church located in Kemeys Commander, Monmouthshire, Wales. It was first built around the 13th century and is considered a very important old building, known as a Grade II* listed building.
A Look Back: The Church's History
The area around Kemeys Commander was once owned by the Knights Templar. They were a famous group of Christian knights from the Middle Ages. They managed their lands from special centers called 'commanderies,' which is how Kemeys Commander got its name.
There are records of a church being on this spot since the 13th century (the 1200s). However, the building you see today was mostly built in the 15th century (the 1400s). The Kemeys family owned the land here for many years, starting in the Middle Ages. They sold their estate in the early 1700s.
The church building was repaired and updated in the late 1800s. This helped to keep the old church in good condition for future generations.
What Does All Saints Church Look Like?
The Church of All Saints is built from local limestone. It was designed in a style called Perpendicular, which was popular for churches in the late Middle Ages. You enter the church through a wooden porch. Above the entrance, there is a special wall that holds the church bell, called a bell gable.
Over time, the ground under the church has shifted a bit. This has caused the bell gable to lean slightly, so it is not perfectly straight.
Inside the church, you can still see its original medieval rood screen and rood beam. A rood screen is a decorative wooden screen that used to separate the main part of the church from the altar area. The rood beam is a beam above this screen. It's quite rare to find these original features still in place in churches in southeast Wales.
