Church of St. Michael, Cathedine                    Grade II listed

The Church closed in 2010 and is now in private ownership. Public access is only permitted to areas of the churchyard which have been used for burials. Parking is extremely difficult.

Photographs of the interior as it was in 2010 are available in our photo gallery, please use the Photo Gallery link at the top of this page

St Michael's church at Cathedine occupies a rectangular churchyard on a hill slope at the southern end of Llangors Lake, some 11km to the east of Brecon.  The church was almost entirely rebuilt in the second half of the nineteenth century, but some stonework from the earlier structure may survive and the west wall and the jambs of the south door could be from its predecessor.  Its only medieval furnishing was a plain font.

The origin of the church is not known.   The Episcopal Register of St David’s lists it as 'Blaneueny' in 1401, while the Valor Ecclesiasticus refers to 'Kethoddyn' in 1535.

In circa 1810 the church consisted of a nave and chancel, and an unroofed "tower" to the west containing three bell.  The windows were narrow elongated squares; the floor was indifferently flagged and on the north side was a structure called "the old chapel" which was used as a lumber room.

In 1855 it was noted: "kind of tower at the west end, not rising higher than the nave", and having a saddle roof.  Close to the west end of the nave a chapel had been added at right-angles.  The building had been whitewashed externally.  The east window had two lights and was poor Perpendicular, there was only one window in the north wall, and three of doubtful integrity on the south.  The churchyard contained some fine yews.

In 1868 the north tower with steep, slated pyramidal roof and a new chancel were erected by E H Martineau.  The nave was largely rebuilt by S W Williams in 1894 in Early English style.  The specification for this second phase of work required the old loft to be taken down at the west end, the old walls of the nave, transept and porch to be demolished, small lancet windows to be removed, rainwater drains to be dug to a depth of 2', a heating chamber to be excavated and tiled floors to be laid. Interior fittings included a plain, circular thirteenth-century font – its only original medieval furnishing.

Cathedine Lych Bell (shown opposite)

This handbell, originally in St Michael's Church, Cathedine, was identified by Dr John Eisel as a lych or corpse bell, probably pf 17th century date.
It would have been rung as a coffin was carried to the church. The custom died out in the 19th cnetury and was replaced by the tolling bell, usuall the tenore bell

Stained Glass  Works at Church of St Michael, Cathedine, Brecknockshire in Stained Glass in Wales

Christ the Good Shepherd - east wall of the chancel - about 1868
Mainly decorative three-light window, with the figure of Christ as the Good Shepherd at the centre.  An angel above holding a text.
Cadw listing quotes: stained glass E window to Gwynne Holford of Buckland 1859, important local landowning family

 

Christ with Children - south wall of the sanctuary

studio: Mayer & Co.

 

I Will Give You Rest -  north wall of the nave

Single-light window with seated figure of Christ in a landscape

 

The Ascension - west wall of the nave

Single-light window

The window was considerably obscured by the growth of ivy on the exterior of the church by 2009.

 

Behold I Stand at the Door and Knock - south wall of the chancel - about 1864

studio: Lavers & Barraud

Single-light window.  Interpretation of the scene of William Holman Hunt's Light of the World, with Christ holding a lantern and knocking at a door.  The design is attributed to John Milner Allen by William Waters.

Inscription: 'In Memoriam ‘C M D'.

 

I Ascend unto my Father - north wall of the sanctuary

Single-light window with standing figure of the Risen Christ in a landscape, pointing upwards, with text below, from his encounter with Mary Magdalene after his resurrection.

Given in memory of Jonathan, Amy, Mervyn and Blanche Marsden Jones.

Churchyard

Cathedine churchyard is set on a west facing slope with the church building itself terraced deeply into the slope.  Monuments are spread throughout much of the yard except on an area on the north; graves are quite tightly packed on the south while twentieth century ones are concentrated on the north.  Later eighteenth century gravestones have been cleared and now lean against the north wall of the nave, and there are other possible examples in a comparable position against the south wall. An old stone stile in the west boundary wall leads north to a footpath across fields to the road across the common. There are ancient yews on the south edge of the churchyard, the central one badly shattered; otherwise there are mature pines and other trees.

There are three grade II listed monuments commemorating Vaughan, Gunter and Shortreed.

Vaughan monument - south side of church, south east of nave

Those commemorated are Ann wife of Thomas Vaughan died 1818, Thomas Vaughan died 1829, Margaret sister of Thomas Vaughan died 1829, Mary daughter of Thomas Vaughan died 1853, Elizabeth daughter died 1860, Anne daughter died 1874 and Margaret daughter died 1870. The Vaughan family came from Tretower and at one time owned Cathedine Fawr. 

A tall square pillar of ashlar, slightly splayed to base, with very heavy tiered cornice surmounted by an urn, standing on a moulded stone plinth, within a rectangular enclosure of metal railings with spear finials; inscriptions on all four sides, the earliest to south. 

 

Gunter - near south east corner of church

Two monuments to Gunter family commemorate William Gunter died 1848, also Catherine his wife died 1889 and son James died 1829, Thomas Gunter son of William and Catherine died 1866, all of Cathedine Fawr. 

A pair of monuments within an enclosure of hexagonal iron railings; monument to north to Thomas Gunter is a plain obelisk with inscription at base; monument to south is a plain chest tomb on metal feet with primary inscription on south side. 

 

Shortreed - south west of church near boundary

Monument to Margaret Shortreed died 1851 husband of David Brown of Roxburgh and son Patrick died 1859 at Coedycymmer. 

A tall square sandstone pier on a deep stepped plinth; entablature with decorative frieze surmounted by a tall draped urn; inscriptions on north and west faces.  The monument stands in a tall enclosure of slender iron railings in two tiers with spear finials, urns to corner stanchions. 

 

Memorials -

Lance Corporal Frederick James Davies
South Wales Borderers Died 28 February 1943,  32 years old
Son of Charles Rees Davies and Sarah Ann Davies, of Cathedine; husband of Rosemary Davies. of Talybont-on-Usk. Personal Inscription  HEARTS THAT LOVE YOU NEVER FORGET YOU  

 

Private Patrick Munro

Home Guard, 1st County of London Bn. Died 03 May 1942,  58 years old
Fifth son of the late Patrick and Mary Helen Catherine Dormond born in Partick, Glasgow; married to Jessie Margaret Munro in 1911, of Bwlch, Breconshire. M.P. for Llandaff and Barry since 1931

Details on Houses of Parliament War Memorials, Westminster Hall:

MP for Llandaff and Barry 1931-1942  born 09/10/1883  died 03/05/1942 Private Home Guard 1st County of London Batallion Place of death: Westminster, UK, during Home Guard exercise

Educated at Leeds Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he held an Open History Scholarship and graduated with 2nd class Honours in History. He was also awarded a Half Blue for High Jump in 1906 and President of the Vincent's Club (the club for Oxford Blues) in 1906–1907. He played for Oxford University RFC. Position half back. Munro was a Rugby Blue in 1903, 1904, 1905 He also played for London Scottish

International career He was capped thirteen times for Scotland between 1905 and 1911, and was also a rugby international for Scotland in 1905, 1906, 1907 and 1911. Munro captained the team in 1907 and 1911. Administrative career He was President of the Scottish Rugby Union for the period 1939 to 1942.  

Political career Sudan He joined the Sudan Political Service in 1907, and was Governor of Darfur Province in 1923-1924 and Governor of Khartoum Province from 1925 to 1929. He was mentioned in dispatches in 1919 and awarded the Order of the Nile (3rd class) in 1929. He was a Member of British Delegation to the Capitulations Conference in Montreux in 1937.

Member of Parliament He was Conservative MP for Llandaff and Barry from 1931 until his death. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Capt. Euan Wallace when he was Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department in 1935 and then Secretary for Overseas Trade. Munro went on to be a Junior Government Whip in 1937, resigning in March 1942. Joining the government payroll as a Junior Lord of the Treasury later that year and serving until his death.

Military service and death Munro, a private in the Home Guard, died on 3 May 1942 whilst taking part in a military exercise at Westminster. The exercise was a simulation of a landing by airborne troops in central London in tandem with fifth-column activities as a test of Home Guard defences. As a member of the Palace of Westminster Home Guard, Munro was acting as a runner and was in the Liberal Whips' room with two company colleagues. It was there that he collapsed suddenly and died before he could be taken for aid. National Portrait Gallery https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw238209/Patrick-Pat-Munro

 

 

 

Sources:
R Scourfield & R Haslam Buildings of Wales: Powys (2013)

Church Heritage Cymru in association with Tina Andrew, Heritage Officer, Church in Wales

Photos 2010 by Clee Tompkinson Francis, Brecon used by kind permission