St Catwg’s Church, Llangattock

PWMP logobutton-theme-crimebutton_lang_welshSt Catwg’s Church, Llangattock

Records of a church here go right back to the 6th century, when St Catwg was spreading the Christian faith in Wales and Ireland. He was eventually made a bishop, but soon after was lanced to death by Saxon horseman while he celebrated Mass.

The current church has features from medieval times and later. Major repairs were made in the 18th and 19th centuries. Notice that the large tower, repaired in the 15th century, isn’t aligned with the rest of the church. Five of the eight bells date from 1719.

Inside the church are the village stocks and whipping posts, for punishing “rogues and vagabonds and incorrigible ruffians”. The stocks held miscreants by the ankles and were originally at the foot of the tower’s south face.

The church has tombstones and tablets made in the 18th century by the Brute family of monumental masons and still displaying original paintwork. Midwife Anne Lewis is also commemorated. She died in 1773 having delivered 716 babies!

The tower has a 16th-century window with frosted glass. The stained glass windows date from 1858 onwards. One has African motifs and was installed in 2007 in memory of Dr Michael Hutt, who had worked in Africa.

During the First World War the rector, Richard Cole-Hamilton, was an army chaplain overseas. In 1915 the congregation at St Catwg’s sang a hymn which Lord Glanusk had composed while commanding soldiers in Aden. There’s a memorial in the church to all the local men who died in the conflict.

The Rev Cole-Hamilton and his wife Margaret lost their son David and daughter Joan in the Second World War. David was a Royal Navy Lieutenant and died at sea aged 28. Joan is classed among the civilian war dead. Both are commemorated by the church’s communion rails.

There are five war graves in the churchyard – details below. Also buried here is Admiral John Gell (1740-1806) of Llanwysg House. His friend Lord Nelson visited him there in 1802. The tombstone of Thomas Davies records that he died aged 105 in 1884, and his father and mother had reached the ages of 101 and 94 respectively!

Postcode: NP8 1PH    View Location Map

Church website

To continue the Llangattock in WW1 tour, take the footpath from the east end of the churchyard. Go through the fields and cross the main road to reach the river bridge
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First World War graves in churchyard

  • Boddy, John Thomas, Private 286603. Died 24/10/1918 aged 43. RAF Recruits Wing (Blandford). Husband of AR Boddy, of Ffawyddog, Llangattock.
  • Gough, Walter Francis, Driver 67418. Died 20/11/1917. Royal Engineers, 1st Field Company.

 

Second World War graves in churchyard

  • Clarke, Albert Douglas, Second Lieutenant. Died 30/09/1941 aged 23. Royal Indian Army Service Corps. Son of Major Albert Edward Clarke and Edith Annie Maude Clarke, of Torquay, Devon.
  • Lloyd, Thomas David, Sergeant 2212943. Died 14/05/1947. Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Son of John Thomas Lloyd and Mary Amelia Lloyd, of Crickhowell; husband of Mary Lloyd.
  • Mann, Leslie Richard Henry, Colour Sergeant PLY/X. 289. Died 10/05/1945 aged 35. Royal Marines. Son of James Henry Stephen Mann and Minnie Mann; husband of Jenny Mann, of Ffawyddog, Crickhowell.