St Bridget's Church, Skenfrith

St Bridget's Church

St Bridget's
51°52′44″N 2°47′30″W / 51.8790°N 2.7916°W / 51.8790; -2.7916Coordinates: 51°52′44″N 2°47′30″W / 51.8790°N 2.7916°W / 51.8790; -2.7916
Location Monmouthshire
Country Wales
Denomination Church in Wales
Website skenfrith.org#/st-bridgets-church/4570947561
Architecture
Status Parish church
Functional status Active
Administration
Diocese Monmouth
Clergy
Vicar(s) Rev. Dr Jean Prosser

St Bridget's lies at the north end of the village of Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, Wales. It was listed as a Grade I listed building on 19 November 1953.[1] The church is dedicated to Brigit of Kildare (Welsh: Sant Ffraid), to whom 17 churches are dedicated in Wales.[2]

History and architecture

The church is medieval in origin, with the earliest parts believed to date from the reign of King John (1166–1216).[3] It was extended in the fourteenth and again in the sixteenth century, sympathetically restored in 1896 and again in 1909–10.[4] The tower is topped by a dovecote belfry with a pyramidal roof.[3] The building is constructed of Old Red Sandstone.[4]

The interior contains the "very fine"[5] chest tomb of John Morgan, died 1557,[4] who was Member of Parliament for the Monmouth Boroughs, Steward of the Duchy of Lancaster and last Governor of the Three Castles, of Skenfrith, Grosmont and White Castle. A lectern of 1909[6] by the Arts and Crafts designer, George Jack, incorporates a figure of St Bridget.[7]

Services are held at the church on Sundays.[8]

Friends of St. Bridget's

There is an active secular charity, The Friends of St. Bridget's, Skenfrith, which raises funds for the repair and maintenance of the church and in particular it financed 90% of the cost of the recent conservation and new display of the pre-Reformation cope. Patrons include the Lord Lieutenant of Gwent Simon Boyle, Sara Fulgoni and Sir Roy Strong. The Friends run a monthly sweepstake.[9]

Notes

  1. Good Stuff IT Services (1953-11-19). "Church of St Bridget – Llangattock Vibon Avel – Monmouthshire – Wales". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  2. "Brigit in Wales: Sant Ffraid". Brigitsforge.co.uk. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 "St Bridget'S Church, Skenfrith | Site Details". Coflein. 2008-02-01. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  4. 1 2 3 The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, page 531
  5. Good Stuff (1910-07-09). "Church of St Bridget - Llangattock-Vibon-Avel - Monmouthshire - Wales". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2016-07-10.
  6. The Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire, page 532
  7. "St. Bridget and Skenfrith". Skenfrith.org. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  8. "Church Today". Skenfrith.org. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  9. "Friends of St. Bridget's, Skenfeith". friendsofstbridgetsskenfrith.co.uk/. Retrieved 13 June 2013.

References

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