St Edmund's Church, Crickhowell facts for kids
St Edmund's Church is a very old church. You can find it in Crickhowell, a town in southeastern Powys, Wales. It was built a long time ago, in the early 1300s! The church is named after Saint Edmund, who was a king and a martyr. People have called it St Edmund's Church ever since it was built in 1303. It's a special building, listed as Grade II*, which means it's an important historical place.
Church Design and Inside Look
This church used to be much larger than it is now. In 1765, parts of it were taken down. This happened because the building was in bad shape.
The church is shaped like a cross. This is called "cruciform." It has a main hall (nave) and a special area for the altar (chancel). There are also two side sections called transepts. The church has a unique wooden spire. This spire is the only one like it in the whole county! It holds five bells. The church is about 112 feet long from east to west. It is about 47 feet wide from north to south. The main hall is 20 feet wide, and the chancel is 17 feet wide.
A special old screen, called a rood-loft, is still there. It is now used as a place for the bells. The south transept is known as the Rumsey chapel. It used to belong to the Rumsey family. The north transept is called the Gwernvale chapel.
Most of the old features have changed over time. But there is still one old window. It has three tall, narrow sections. This window is above the main entrance door. The font, where baptisms happen, is newer. It has the date 1668 on it. The church floor is paved. The seats are in rows, but some need fixing.
Old Memorials and Statues
Inside the church, you can see some very old memorials. On the south wall of the chancel, there is a stone monument. It has a statue of a knight. He is wearing old metal armor. A shield on the statue shows he was from the Pauncefote family. The writing on the monument is too old to read now.
Across from the knight, on the north wall, is another statue. This one is of a woman. She was probably the knight's wife. She is dressed in clothes from that time. The entrances to these graves were outside the church. They were later walled up. There are two other empty arches like these in the chancel.
On the north side of the chancel, there is a large monument. It is made of black and white marble. It has statues of Sir John Herbert and his wife, Joan. At one end of this monument, there are two kneeling figures. One is a man, dressed as a lawyer. The other is a woman. These are for Sergeant Lehunt and his wife. He died in 1703, and she died in 1694.
The church received a special heritage listing in 1963. This means it is a very important historical building.
Churchyard and Old Gravestones
In the churchyard, you can find old gravestones. One stone remembers Thomas Havard. He died in March 1762. Another gravestone, surrounded by iron rails, is for Edward Williams. He passed away on November 30, 1754. There is also a gravestone for Samuel Walbeoffe, who was buried in 1750.
