St Michael's Church, Manafon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Michael's Church
The church viewed from the south
OS grid reference	SJ 113 024
Location	Manafon, Powys
Country	Wales
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St Michael's Manafon
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	St Michael
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	10 March 1953
Architect(s)	John Douglas (Restoration)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Completed	1898
Specifications
Materials	Stone with slate roof
Administration
Parish	Llanfair Caereinion, Llanllugan and Manafon
Deanery	Mathrafal
Archdeaconry	Montgomery
Diocese	St Asaph
Province	Church in Wales

St Michael's Church is a historic church located in the small village of Manafon, which is in Powys, Wales. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it belongs to the Church in Wales. This church is an important building and has been given a special status by Cadw as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historic building that needs to be protected.

History of St Michael's Church

The church has been around for a long time. Records show it existed as early as 1254 and 1291. However, much of its early history is not known.

Restorations and Changes

The church underwent a big "restoration" in 1859. A restoration means repairing and updating an old building to make it look good and work well again. During this time, some windows were replaced, and a new room called a vestry was added.

Another important restoration happened in 1898. This work was done by a famous architect named John Douglas from Chester. He made many changes inside the church. He removed old plaster from the walls and raised the floor in the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is).

Douglas also added new seating, a screen between the nave (the main part of the church where people sit) and the chancel. He designed new items like the pulpit (where sermons are given), a lectern (for reading lessons), and the altar area. He also designed the lych gate at the entrance to the churchyard. Later, in 1992, some repairs were made to the inside of the west wall.

Famous Rectors of the Church

St Michael's Church has been home to some interesting people. Three well-known poets served as rectors (the main priest) of the church:

• Walter Davies, also known as Gwallter Mechain, from 1807 to 1837.
• William Morgan, whose special Welsh poet name was Penfro, from 1904 to 1918.
• R. S. Thomas, a very famous Welsh poet, from 1942 to 1954.

Architecture and Design

St Michael's Church is built using stone, and its roof is made of slate. The church has a simple layout, with the nave and chancel forming one main room. It also has a porch on the south side and a vestry on the north side.

Key Features of the Church Building

At the west end of the church, there is a wooden belfry (a tower for bells). On the very top of the east end of the roof, there is a Celtic cross decoration. The window at the east end is an original Perpendicular style window, which is a type of Gothic architecture. Other windows were added during the 1859 restoration.

The belfry is painted white. It has openings with louvres (slanted slats) for the bells to be heard. On top of the belfry is a pyramid-shaped slate roof with a weathercock (a weathervane shaped like a rooster) that shows wind direction.

Outside the Church

The churchyard has a few interesting features.

The Sundial and Lychgate

You can find a sundial in the churchyard. It sits on a wooden base. A sundial tells time using the sun's shadow.

The lychgate is at the main entrance to the churchyard. A lychgate is a covered gateway to a churchyard, often used for sheltering coffins before a burial. This one has a hipped roof (a roof that slopes down on all sides) made of slate. It is supported by three strong wooden beams. The middle beam has a special message carved into it. On the church side, the message is in Welsh, and on the road side, it is in English.

Images for kids

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  The lychgate designed by John Douglas