Church of the Holy Cross, Cowbridge
Style Medieval | | |
The Church of the Holy Cross is a medieval church in
History
The church is thought to have been built as part of the construction of the medieval town in Cowbridge during the late 13th century.
It was recorded in 1721 that the walls of the tower had decayed timbers and frames. In addition the four bells in the tower were broken and cracked. The town of Cowbridge was desirous of having a set of eight bells instead of the four now possessed by the church. The town's revenues were mortgaged to pay for the re-casting of the four broken church bells and the addition of four new ones.
The church was listed as a
Architecture
The church is built of coursed local limestone along with local white Sutton stone dressings.[2]
One of the more striking features of the church is the tower. The tower has a corbelled wall head from which angle broaches slope up to an octagonal battlemented top section.[4] Although it has been argued that the original purpose of the tower was to be a watchtower or stronghold in case the town was attacked,[9] Newman argues that the lack of arrow loops rules out its purpose as a defensive fortification.[4] To the tower's northeast is stair turret and to the south side a buttressing mass.[4]
The interior of the tower houses arches on the east and west sides, both part of the original 13th century design.[4] In the chancel the only original feature is the piscina of Sutton stone.[4] There are piers in the English West Country style, which are described as being crude, with awkward fitting between the piers and arches.[4] There are two hatches in the east wall, assumed for the dispensing of alms, which Newman describes as 'a most unusual feature'.[4]
The
Notes
- ^ The tower was built with wood framing covered with lead. The cracks on the upper portion of the tower cannot be accounted for except for being due to a lightning strike.[3]
- ^ Prichard's plans for his work included the restoration of the spire destroyed in 1480. The architect wrote in his report to the diocese, "Remote tho' the prospect may be yet I hope to live to see the Tower crowned with a Spire such as I have shown in my drawings." [3]
Footnotes
- ^ CADW. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ^ a b c Newman 1995, p. 330.
- ^ a b Hopkin-James 1922, p. 143.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Newman 1995, p. 331.
- ^ Hopkin-James 1922, p. 167.
- ^ Hopkin-James 1922, p. 163.
- ^ "Cowbridge Church". The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette. 16 September 1848. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ^ "Renovation of Cowbridge Church". Evening Express. 21 October 1893. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ^ "Holy Cross Church, Cowbridge". historypoints.org. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
Primary sources
- Cowbridge Record Society (2001). Llanblethian Buildings & People. Cowbridge: Cowbridge Record Society. ISBN 0953702928.
- Hopkin-James, Lemuel J. (1922). Old Cowbridge, borough, church, and school. Illustrated by Mrs. Adelaide Williams and others. Cardiff: Educational Pub. Co. .
- ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
- Newman, John (1995). Glamorgan. London: Penguin Group. ISBN 0140710566.
- Gunter, Maud (1961). "The Manor of Llanblethian". In Williams, Stewart (ed.). The Garden of Wales. Barry: Stewart Williams Publishers.
