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|-—' THE 'Pho.xe.

BE- 3GEND POLICE COURT. I

LETTER FROM LLANTWIT MAJOR…

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HISTORY OF THE VALE. I LLANTRITHYD VILLAGE AND PARISH. I THE HISTORIC PARISH CHURCH OF I ST. ILLTYD. INTERESTING ANCIENT MONUMENTS, I ETC. (ARTICLE II.) I (By Mr. T. M. PRICE, Late of Boverton). I The ancient Parish Church of St. Illtyd, Llantrithyd, which is one of the oldest and most notable in the Vale of Glamorgan, is well worthy of observation and study, and full of much interest to the antiquary, his- torian, and lover of old buildings. The in- teresting historic old church is in strict har- mony with the past. It is a relic of the old times and the old people, who have gone be- fore us, forming a portion of a picturesque, sublime and romantic scene, which should be venerated with the numerous and ancient tombs and monuments that adorn the in- terior of the church and the pretty old grave- yard, with its venerable old trees. As the ancient and stately ornate cathedrals repre- sent to us our Church in its national and uni- versal aspect, so the venerable old Parish Churches of our land impress upon us its pervading influence, its spirit of indepen- dence, its power to elevate and spiritualise the daily life of the village and the home, and it is well that we should regard them with due reverence. Their very stones are hallowed to us, and through all the changes of time (a thousand years) they have pro- claimed that which changeth not. DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH. I The church occupies a picturesque and ele- vated site near the main highway, surroun- ded by some tall, stately trees, and near by stand the extensive old ruins of Llantrithyd Place, which lend dignity and grandeur to the scene. The church is dedicated to St. Iltutus or St. Illtyd-a. favourite and re- nowned local saint and teacher, who founded a great college and seat of learning at Llant- wit Major in the fifth century. The architec- ture is in no way remarkable. It is an an- cient building of stone, in the Norman style, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch, and an embattled western tower, containing five bells. The tower is a square structure, rather lofty, but very plainly built, with a parapet wall of slight projection on corbels, and it has a western door of good perpendicu- lar work, but there are no windows below the belfry. There was formerly an exterior stair on the south side, which led to the old min- strel gallery within the nave, which was dis- pensed with and removed many years ago. THE NORMAN ENTRANCE PORCH AND I UNIQUE WATER STOUP, ETC. The south entrance porch, which is built in the Norman style, is probably about the oldest portion of this venerable fabric, and contains a good oak rib in the roof and two solid old stone benches on either side of the porch, which are generally common at most of our ancient parish churches in Wales. The entrance door to the nave has a plain drop arch, chamfered, and on the right-hand within is a very curious-looking mural water stoup, probably Norman, which is the only A one of its kind I have yet observed in an Ang- lican Church. Above this unique water stoup are two windows, each of them contain- ing two lights, and on the left is an older lancet window trefoiled. Three of the win- dows on the opposite or north side of the church are modern, and in one of them, in stained glass, is engraved the Arms of Aubrey, Baronet, impaling Lowther. The arch leading from the nave into the chancel is equilateral and probably perpendicular. In the north wall of the chancel is an old rood loft doorway, which is now concealed by a large monument. The beam of the old rood loft remained until about 70 years ago. The oak chancel screen, bearing the Tudor flower, is in a good state of preservation. FEATURES OF THE PICTURESQUE I INTERIOR. The interior of this historic old church, which was neatly and chastely decorated and adorned with choice spring flowers during our visitation at Eastertide, is very quaint and pictuesque, with its beautiful stained-glass eastern window, and numerous ancient monu- ments and venerable memorials. Standing in silent and revent meditation within the chancel and nave of this sacred fane, we see on either side striking memorial monuments of by-gone worthies who have long since passed away into oblivion, representing heral- dry, wealth, pomp, and power and sacred fame, which recalled to my memory the well- known lines in Gray's famous "Elegy," written in a village churchyard, which run thus:— "The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, Await alike the inevitable hour :— The paths of glory lead but to the grave." On the south side of this chancel arch is a rather small lancet niche, very probably a shrine. The church font is ancient but of rather a poor design of a late Italian pattern, resting upon a much older base. The old roof of the church originally had oak ribs, with bosses, with the intermediate spaces plastered up, but it has been renovated and restored, according to the original plan of the older fabric. In the north wall of the church is a low drop sepulchral arch, about 4ft. long, having a concave chamber, and immediately below is a recumbent figure, probably a female, with its feet resting on a greyhound and its head beneath a trefoiled canopy. It appears to rest upon a low alter, on the edge of which is presumably a rude ball flofrer moulding, and above it is a band of Tudor-like flowers, with a greyhound in the centre. The whole of this monument, though of rather rude work- manship and much obscured, may be pro- nounced to be of the decorated or Tudor period. I THE CHANCEL AND COMMUNION PLATE. The chancel bears date 1656, and was most probably wholly rebuilt at that period. The stained glass eastern chancel window was pre- sented in 1875 by "Aubrey Aubrey, Esq." An old church record, dated 26th June, 1637, states that Sir Thomas Aubrey, Llan- trithyd Place, "gave to his Parish Church a silver gilt cup and cover for the communion, with power to exchange it for one of another fashion when desirable." A REMARKABLE ALTAR TOMB. I There are several interesting memorial stones and monuments in the chancel, on a particulary ifne, unique and remarkable altar tomb, set against the north wall of the chancel, with a heavy mural appendage, bear- ing coasts of arms and inscriptions. On the altar of this fine, handsome monument are the two life-sized recumbent effigies of An- thony Mansell and his lady, resting in majes- tic repose. He is in full armour, and on the panelled sides of the tomb are the carved figures of their children in high relief kneel- ing., The whole, with its enclosing railing, ? ? ? was thoroug l'y restored, ana re-pumtca ill colours by the late Rev.' J. M. Treharne, Coedriglan Park, St. Nicholas, during the earlier part of the 19th century. The in- scription reads as follows, in very old print: Here lyetfy the bodyes of John Bassett, Esquier, and Elizabeth, his wife, daughter to Andrew Norton, of Bristow, Esquier, who had issue by Elizabeth, his wife, an only daughter named Elizabeth, married to An- thony Mansell, Esq., second sonne to Rice Mansell, of Margam (Knight), all of whose four bodyes are here entombed, which An- thony had issue by the sayd Elizabeth three sonnes, fower daughters, of all which two daughters survive. The elder daughter mar- ryed to Thomas Aubrey, Esq., the younger marryed to Rawley Bussye, Esquier. He died Anno Domini 1544, aged 44. She died Anno Dom. 1596 aged 84 years. Elizabeth Mansel made this in 1597. A.M. 66.. l.M. 64." This remarkable and handsome monument is still in an excellent state of preservation. An ancient helmet, said to have been actually worn by "John Bassett, Esq. is also pre- served here. It is hung up above the altar tomb just referred to. ANCIENT MEMORIAL STONES IN I CHANCEL. There are several ancient flat stones within the communion rails over the Aubrey family vault, with more or less defaced quaint in- scriptions, which read thus :— ————— his wife, daughter of John Bassett, deceased, aged 48; 1557." Round a cross "Pray for the soul." 1573. "Here lieth in grace the body of Rice Havard." Dated 1580 or 1680. Round a cross, dated 1586: "God hath his soul to his mercy in grave the body of John Bassett." And also round a cross: "Here lyeth in grave the wife of John Bassett." Another cross bears the following inscrip- tion:—"Pray for the soul of Blanche Aubrey. 1588." And again: "Pray for the soul of Willeford Aubrey. 1594." Also: "Pray for the soul of Rice Mansel"; with the arms of Mansel impaling Bassett. On some mural stone slabs within the altar rail are inscribed in old print the names of Elizabeth Aubrey, 1567; Edward Aubrey, 1573; Mary Aubrey, 1570; Ann, 1570; Ryoe, 1583; William, 1573; and Cissil. MONUMENTS TO FORMER RECTORS OF I THE PARISH IN CHANCEL A tablet is erected to the memory of the Rev. Nehemiah Hopkins, B.D., Rector and Prebendiary of Llandaff Cathedral, who died March 23rd, 1790, aged 82; and his wife, Mary, who died Feb. 29th, 1770. Also the Rev. George Williams, Rector and J.P. for Glamorgan, who died December 21st. 1815, aged 50; also Sarah, his wife, who died at Hammersmith, London, 16th April, 1853, aged 94 years, who was buried in the church- yard. This monument was placed here by Thomas illiams their youngest surviving son. Also the Rev. Roper Trevor Tyler, M.A., Rector, the father of Major-General Trevor Bruce Tyler, J.P., Llantrithyd, who died February 19th, 1885, aged 83 years, who was Rector of Llantrithyd Parish for 47 years; also Isabel, wife of the Rev. Roper Trevor Tyler, M.A., who died Feb. 4th, 1859. MONUMENTS AND MEMORIAL TABLETS I IN THE NAVE. The nave of the church also contains a num- ber of interesting monuments of ancient date. In the nave at the west end of the church is a large escutcheon or monumental shield of "Aubrey," with a crescent codency quarter- ing "Blethyn Ap Maenarch," and impaling Mansel, who quarters Basset. On the south wall of the church is another artistic monu- ment, representing Aubrey, with a crescent on the arms and crest. It is interesting to note that these two escutcheons, which are in veined marble, were removed from Llan- trithyd Place in the early part of the last century after the Aubrey family had deserted the old mansion. There are several memorial monuments on both side walls of the nave of the church, surmounted by the Arms of Aubrey. On the south wall is a large monument, surmounted by the Arms of Aubrey, impaling on the right (Lowther) and on the left (Lewis) of The Van, Caerphilly, and bearing the following inscrip- tions :-Here lies the body of Sir John Aub- rey, Bart., ye son of Sir Thomas Aubrey, Knight, who took to his first wife Margaret ye daughter of Sir John Louther (now spelt Lowther) of Lowther Hall, in ye County of Westmoreland, Bart., by whom he had one son, and to his second wife, Mary, ye daugh- ter of Sir William Lewis, Esq., of The Van, Caerphilly, and relict of William Jephson, Esq., who brought a very fair inheritance into this family. What ho was those who conversed with him best knew. He died September 15th, 1700, in the 50th year of his age. Another tablet bears the names of Sir Thomas Aubrey, Bart., and Dame Marthu (nee Carter) his wife. On the north wall of the nave is a monu- ment, erected to Frances Aubrey, wife of Colonel Richard Aubrey, Esq., of Ash Hall, near Cowbridge.. She was the second daugh- ter of the Hon. Winotherly Digby, L.L.D., of Meredon, in the County of Warwick, and grand-daughter of Lord Digby, who died 12th October, „ 1782, in the 34th year of her age, and was buried in the Aubrey family vault. The quaint epitaph is as followsLearn to live as she lived and then you need not be afraid to die. On the same wall is a tablet, erected bo the memory of John Watkins, who died 13th June, 1886, aged 78 years. He was 52 years a faithful servant to the Rev. Roper Trevor Tyler, M.A., Rector of Llantrithyd. He survived his master one year end four months. Also of Richard Mumford, who died March 20th, 1803, aged 76. In 4stimony of his firm attachment to Sir John Aubrey, Bart., and his family, whom he zealously and faithfully served in the capacity of Estate Steward a long series of years, Sir John Aubrey, Bart., erected this monument to his memory. • Beneath the ancient font is buried Elinor, wife of John Edmondes, Esq., who died 26th March, 1720, aged 40 years. Also Jape, their daughter, died 10th Feb- ruary, 1725, aged 12, and Frances, daughter of Thomas Edmondes (Gent) who died 15th March, 1744; aged four months. On the south wall of nave, to the left of south entrance door, is a fine marble memorial tablet, erected to the memory of the late George Eaton Tutton, for thirty years master of Llantrithyd School. This tablet was er- ected by those who were under his tuition, as a slight tribute to his great ability, and a sincere token of their respect and apprecia- tion of the ennobling and enduring influence which he exercised on their lives. This monu- ment was erected September, 1911. It is interesting to note that this memorial was erected by voluntary subscribers who were his former pupils at school. Amongst the chief promoters were two of his old scholars, namely, Mr T. P. Thomas, J.P., Dinas Powis, and Mr. John David, auctioneer, Cowbridge. (TO BE CONTINUED).

HISTORY OF THE VALE. I

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