Church of St Mary the Virgin, Llanfair Kilgeddin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin, Llanfair Kilgeddin |
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St Mary the Virgin
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| Location | Monmouth, Monmouthshire |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Inactive |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Designated | 9 January 1956 |
| Years built | late 13th/early 14th century |
| Closed | 1989 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Monmouth |
St Mary the Virgin is an old church building in Llanfair Kilgeddin, a village near Usk in Monmouthshire, Wales. It's a very important building, known as a Grade I listed building, because of its amazing Arts and Crafts style inside. The church stopped being used regularly in the 1980s. Now, a group called the Friends of Friendless Churches looks after it, making sure it stays safe and sound.
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History of the Church
The church is found on farmland, close to a river. It's about one mile north of the village. The original church was built in the Middle Ages.
In 1875–76, the church was rebuilt. This work was done by an architect named John Dando Sedding. He was hired by the local church leader, Reverend William John Coussmaker Lindsay.
The church still has some old features from the Middle Ages. One example is the baptismal font, which is a special bowl used for baptisms.
Amazing Arts and Crafts Decorations
What makes St Mary the Virgin church really special are its unique decorations. These are done in the Arts and Crafts style. This style was popular in the late 1800s. It focused on handcrafted items and beautiful designs.
The church walls are covered in a special type of decoration called sgraffito. This word comes from Italian and means "to scratch." To create sgraffito, artists put thin layers of different coloured plaster on the walls. Then, they carefully scratch away the top layers. This reveals the colours underneath, creating a picture.
Reverend Lindsay paid for these decorations in memory of his wife, Rosamund. The designs were created by an artist named Heywood Sumner. He finished his work in 1888.
Sumner's designs tell a story from the Bible, called the Benedicite. He also included local sights in his art. You can see the River Usk, the Sugar Loaf mountain, and even the tower of a nearby church, Llanvihangel Gobion.
Saving the Church
In the 1980s, the church was no longer used for regular services. It was considered "redundant," which means it wasn't needed anymore. There was a risk that the building might be torn down.
But in 1989, a charity called the Friends of Friendless Churches stepped in. They took over the care of the church. This charity works to save old church buildings that are no longer in use. They got help from other groups like the Victorian Society and received money from Cadw and the Pilgrim Trust.
The churchyard has a special burial area. This area is for the family of Richard Crawshay and his nephew, Crawshay Bailey. They were important ironmasters who lived nearby.
The beautiful wall paintings were cleaned and repaired in 2006–07. This was done in memory of a person named Roy Jenkins. An expert on buildings, John Newman, once said that Sumner's decorations make Llanfair Kilgeddin a must-see place for anyone interested in the Arts and Crafts movement.
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