The Church of St Michael and All Angels, is a

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

in the village of

Mitchel Troy Mitchel Troy ( cy, Llanfihangel Troddi, that is "church of St Michael on the River Trothy") is a village and community in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, in the United Kingdom. It is located 3 miles south west of the county town of Monmouth, jus ...

, Monmouthshire,

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

. The

Grade II* listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Ir ...

stands in the centre of the village, on the north side of the old road from Monmouth to Raglan, south-west of Monmouth.

History

The village of

derives its name from the Welsh "Llanfihangel Troddi" which means "Church of St Michael by the Trothy". The River Trothy passes north of the church on its route towards Monmouth. Very little remains of the original 13th-century church. At one time there was a spire on the church tower but in the 18th century it collapsed, demolishing the north aisle. The present building is largely the result of rebuilding works undertaken between 1873 and 1876 by diocesan architect John Prichard for the 8th Duke of Beaufort. Members of the Beaufort family were officers of the church throughout the 19th century.

Architecture

Exterior

The church has an unusual narrow west tower with a castellated ashlar belfry. In the south-west corner of the tower is a large quoin stone, inscribed Orate Peo Godfride et Johanne. Little is known of its origin but it is said to be a

foundation stone The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. Over tim ...

. Central to the south side of the nave is a large medieval gabled porch, above it the roof has steeply-gabled dormers with

trefoil A trefoil () is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings, used in architecture and Christian symbolism, among other areas. The term is also applied to other symbols with a threefold shape. A similar shape with four ring ...

-headed lights. At the entrance to the churchyard is a lych gate roofed in graded stone. The 15th century churchyard cross is missing the cross and top, but it is decorated with ball flowers which are echoed in the pulpit and reredos inside the church.

Interior

The church has a richly-detailed Victorian interior resulting from the patronage of the Beaufort estate. The nave roof is supported by pitch pine, arch-braced collar trusses. In the south aisle, on one side of the doorway is a Norman tub font which was recovered from the Rectory garden. On the other side is an elaborate marble font, designed by Prichard, decorated with water lilies, passion flowers and netted fish. To the west of the doorway, a large inscription on the wall reads "To the Glory of God this church of St Michael and All Angels, built AD1208, was reconstructed Aug 4th AD 1876." During the 19th century reconstruction, an ancient stone altar was unearthed at the end of the South aisle, with five

consecration crosses Consecration crosses are crosses on the interior walls and exterior architecture of a Christian church or cathedral showing where the bishop has anointed the church with chrism or holy water in order to consecrate it. There is often a place for ...

representing the five wounds of Christ. The slab was remounted under the East window of the south aisle, serving as an altar for the

Lady chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British English, British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church (building), church. The chapels are also known as ...

. Also uncovered during the reconstruction was a stone which had been used as a

piscina A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, or else in the vestry or sacristy, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. For Roman Ca ...

, but was discovered to be the lid of a child's coffin of early date. The stone is now set in the wall of the south aisle. At the end of the north aisle is a black marble reproduction of '' The Last Supper''. Some notable stone corbels can be found on the walls of the church. Above the nave the corbels bear a portcullis (the Beaufort heraldic badge) and St. George's cross (at the time of reconstruction the church belonged to the Church of England). On the outside of the organ chamber are five decorative corbels depicting an owl, a daffodil, a hawk, a flower and a nest of small birds being fed by their mother. On the south wall is an otter with a fish. The

choir stalls A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tab ...

originally had carved figures of angels with musical instruments, but these were stolen in 1995. They have since been replaced by finials showing oak, ash, holly, ivy, hawthorn and bramble. Opposite the entrance is a stained glass window dedicated to the Reverend Everett who supervised the reconstruction of the church. In the south wall is a window dedicated to the wife of the Reverend Sneyd who gave the

Lady Chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British English, British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church (building), church. The chapels are also known as ...

in memory of his son. In the north and south aisles are windows dedicated to two soldiers who died in the South African wars. In the west end of the chancel are windows dedicated to the wife and daughter of the Reverend Talbot and the east window represents the Ascension. At the west end is a window dedicated to General E. H. Somerset of the Beaufort family who died in 1886. Inside the tower, there are three historic bells which are inscribed: # G Tyler: H Williams: C Warden EE 1710 # CACHMAI: Tyler: William: Tucker: Churchwarden 1656 (dating from the time of the English Commonwealth) # Wm Robinson Rector: Phil Stead: Ch Warden EE WE 1723.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitchel Troy Michael and all angels, Llanvihangel Crucorney Church in Wales church buildings