Caebach Chaple

 

This just happens to be the 500th Church Explorer Blog.

I only found out about Caebach Chapel from a Contractor cutting the grass less that an hour before hand. I never new about it or where it was till I looked at the map on my phone, as it was on my way back to my Caravan I thought it rude not to check it out

Some history I copied from Coflein "Caebach United Reformed Chapel was first built in 1717. This was rebuilt in 1804 in the Vernacular style of the long-wall entry type, on the original site. The building retains its contemporary front sash windows and nineteenth century door frame, as well as the complete box-pewed and candelabra interior of 1840. The chapel windows display a Byzantine influence. Caebach is now Grade 2 Listed."

If you do not have instruction or know where to go  then you need to look out for this sign which is at the top of a dive that leads to the chapel, you cannot see it from the road

At the bottom of the drive on the left over a hedge is the chapel which faces north west

The chapel is not laid out like a church and this is the north east end

This end is the south west end

before going around to the south east side where there are a few burials and cremation memorials

Over to the right as you walk down the path you see these graves

Over to the left more headstones can be seen

Over near the boundary hedge

and at the end of the chapel

These may be old ones that are leant against the hedge that became detached

 

A few of the headstones in a collage

Looking back to the entrance

and across a plot towards chapel

The chapel is locked but I did get a couple of photos through the window which show the beautiful old box pews, the minister stands over to the left of the photo

and the raised ones at the back. I would have like to have taken one through the end window but I could not reach but I think I have worked out a way to do it now with the aid of a mono-pod

St Cynllo Nantmel

 

 This was one of the churches visited on the Builth Churches website that I am trying to complete. it is not that far from the last church I visited. The church sits back off the main rod up hill a little and was rebuilt in 1792 with in the medieval foundation.  I found not history on Wikipedia but you can see some on Church Heritage Record if you look through the tabs. This ended up being a failed visit for me as the church was locked. It's in the same parish ans another I visited that was locked so if I return I will have to arrange fro them to be open.

 The church is on a hillside to get there you climb the steps through the Lych Gate and off to the church

 

St Cynllo's church sign

The path is sunken slightly as you walk along

Different camera view

Back with the wide angle and the whole church

From the south

long shot of the south east

The east end of the church

North side

The churchyard  south of the church

The west side of the church

Further along by the south of the church

Memorial with sundial on the top

This is downhill on the south side of the church

The far east end of the churchyard

The bottom of the churchyard south of the church

The War Grave of  Guardsman E.Ingram

Family tomb looking north at the east end of the church

A couple of Obelisks something not found often in small churchyards  

Looking towards the north side of the church

Couple of family plots

The churchyard north of the  church

I will leave you with this view of the church and churchyard

You might have noticed the churchyard is well kept not something I see a lot now but I did talk with the contractor cutting the grass and he said people in a lot of the churches found it disrespectful and complained so it gets cut along with a few others and a little chapel I got told about by him so I woll be showing it next week.

Till Next time have a wonderful weekend

St Laurence Reading

 A few weeks ago a lady left a comment on the blog I wrote about St Laurence Reading saying she had found the place locked as well. I took this as a challenge and emailed the church office to see if it was possible to get access fro some photos. Turned out to be very possible and a date and time was arrange so  now I can finally give closure to this church. I hope Miss Mary like the photos. I have to admit I was a little disappointed in how the church is used now though they do still have weekly services here I cannot help think that the place has been desecrated a little but the reader can make their own minds up. It is still a beautiful church. You can visit but you need to make arrangements like I did.

 

St Lawrence from the Town Hall Square, The entrance was locked when I got there but on phoning the office I was let in.

This is the entrance inside the door, there are loads of memorials you can look at, behind me as well

 

Walking through the second doorway you come to the aisle, it looks huge here because I used a wide angle lens on my DSLM

 

Going towards the chancel arch where a rood screen and rood cover the front

 

 The top of the screen and rood

 

the Rood which looked really impressive

 

Into the chancel again using a wide angle lens

The altar and east window

The altar

The triple east windows

Collage showing the stained glass. For a church of it's size I was surprised to find this was about it for stained glass

Back of the rood screen

And the nave from the rood screen. Looks a little empty for a church

Looking to the back of the church, the glass area is the church office

There are a few very nice older memorials, this kneeling lady looks very puritan in her dress. She died in 1636 when Charles I was on the throne and we know what happened to him a few years later

This plaque has been very damaged not doubt by the reformation or Roundheads

This memorial is the most impressive 

 

The plaque is beautifully preserved

the carvings outstanding

This memorial is more modern

 

This is the plaque under it cropped from the original photo I took

This one is hidden in the north aisle, the inscriptions are faded but you can see his wife was busy with 10 kids

Think this is another on the north wall

The Royal Berkshire Regiment have this memorial over the south door

 

Nearby the Roll of Honour for the First World War

I came across this on in the north aisle

The pulpit

Which gives this view of the nave

One of the banks of choir stalls

Which is covered in these memorial plaques

You can see other church brasses and memorials around the church

There are a few tombs in the floor you can also see and not doubt more in the nave under the flooring that has been laid. The bottom centre that of the lady in the memorial

There is an organ almost hidden by shelving

It's quiet a magnificent instrument

and would have been played behind the second bank of choir stalls. I'm told it does not play now but I have no doubt I know someone who could make it do so

this is the chancel ceiling

and the nave

there is a north aisle where this serving area is

and if you go upstairs on the mezzanine above you can see some of the old corbels

this are seems to be another relaxation area with a meeting room at the end. Shame it was locked as I could see a good view of the organ from there

The chapel in the north aisle

In one of the windows are these old photos

 

Underneath this memorial plaque

 

 There is a beautiful eagle lectern near the organ

Near the entrance is the stunning font which is painted, could not tell you the age

I shall leave you with the beautiful font.

Till next time have a wonderful weekend

 

 Remember Them