GlamorganSTANDREWMAJORStAndrew(judithandersonPERMISSIONBYEMAIL)1 JudithAnderson

St Andrew

An ancient yew, 12th century north aisle, four storey 15th century tower and a restrained Victorian restoration makes St Andrew's a fascinating church to visit and worship in.

St Andrew Major, Glamorgan

Opening times

Contact the administrator or Churchwarden's for access.

Address

St Andrew's Road
St Andrew Major
Glamorgan
CF64 4HD

It sits within an ancient churchyard which once contained a two storey poor house, abandoned by 1845 and by 1892 replaced with the bier house. The first stone building on the site was the north aisle and chancel in the 12th century. The building originally had a bun thatch. The porch and tower are late 15th century. The tower is a four storeyed, structure connected to the nave but not the north aisle. A well is thought to exist underneath the tower The tower contains five bells installed by Rector Nathaniel Wells in 1747. Made by William Evans of Chepstow. They are now operated by an Ellacombe chiming mechanism installed in the 1950s. The porch is large, and up until the mid 19th century, was the location of vestry meetings as it contained the only seats in the church.

At the beginning of the 19th century the church consisted of a nave, chancel, tower and north aisle with a chantry chapel that was falling into disrepair. This was demolished in 1828 and replaced by the Lee Chapel in 1920-22, Victorian restoration. A painted ceiling in the chancel was completed by General HH Lee and his wife in 1885. The east window was installed along with the gift of a brass eagle lectern and a carved oak reredos. The interior of the church then remained largely unaltered until the need for extensive work in the late 1990s. Heritage Lottery funding and generous donations allowed extensive work to be carried out and completed in September 1999. Roof tiles were replaced and cracks in walls repaired. The Lee Chapel east end was underpinned and the floor in the chancel replaced. Repointing was carried out to the tower and the boundary walls. In the chancel and the nave, remains were lifted and reburied to allow the new floor to be laid. The church contains windows by, amongst others, C.E. Kemp and Co Ltd (post 1907), Powell and Son, Whitefriars and Alfred Wilkinson 1922.

  • Captivating architecture

  • Famous connections

  • Fascinating churchyard

  • Social heritage stories

  • Accessible toilets in church

  • Car park at church

  • Dog friendly

  • On street parking at church

  • Steps to enter the church or churchyard

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Church in Wales

  • Gateway Grant, £3,500, 2021

  • The grant will support works to repair the tower.

  • Wolfson Fabric Repair Grant, £5,000, 2021

  • The grant will support works to repair the tower

Contact information

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