Church of All Saints, Kemeys Commander

The Church of All Saints, Kemeys Commander, Monmouthshire, Wales, is a parish church with its origins in the 13th century. It is a Grade II* listed building.

All Saints Church
Church of All Saints
The entrance and bell gable
All Saints Church is located in Monmouthshire
All Saints Church
All Saints Church
Location in Monmouthshire
51.7381°N 2.9442°W / 51.7381; -2.9442
LocationKemeys Commander, Monmouthshire
CountryWales
DenominationChurch in Wales
WebsiteOfficial website
History
StatusParish church
Foundedc. 13th century
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II*
Designated18 November 1980
Architectural typeChurch
Administration
DioceseMonmouth
ArchdeaconryMonmouth
DeaneryRaglan/Usk
ParishHeart of Monmouthshire Ministry Area
Clergy
RectorThe Reverend K J Hasler

History

The hamlets of Kemeys Commander and Kemeys Inferior formed part of the Monmouthshire estates of the Knights Templar.[1] The Templars administered their holdings through commandery, accounting for the name of the hamlet. A reference to a church on the site dates from the 13th century, but the present building was constructed in the 15th century.[1] The Lordship of Kemeys dates from the Middle Ages and was held by the Kemeys family until the estate was sold in the early 18th century.[2]

The church was restored by Richard Creed in the late 19th century.[1] At the time of the restoration, the vicar was The Rev. Herbert Sheppard M.A., of Clare College, Cambridge.[3]

Architecture and description

The church is built of local limestone in the Perpendicular style.[4] The entrance is through a timber porch[4] and under a bell gable.[5] The building has suffered from subsidence and the bell gable is off-vertical.[6]

The church retains its original medieval rood screen and rood beam, one of few churches in southeast Wales that do so.[7][8]

Notes
  1. Cadw. "Church of All Saints, Gwehelog Fawr (Grade II*) (2626)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. Newman 2000, p. 260.
  3. "Kelly's Directory of Monmouthshire, 1901". Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  4. Newman 2000, p. 259.
  5. "All Saints, Kemeys Commander (307345)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  6. "GGAT01812g". Cofiadurcahcymru.org.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  7. Newman 2000, p. 25: "At Kemeys Commander the screen and rood beam remain, and were clearly constructed together with the fabric of the little church".
  8. Kenyon, John R.; Williams, Diane M. (2006). Cardiff: Architecture and Archaeology in the Medieval Diocese of Llandaff. British Archaeological Association. ISBN 978-1-904350-80-4.
    reprinted as Kenyon, John R.; Williams, Diane M. (2020). Cardiff : architecture and archaeology in the medieval diocese of Llandaff. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 9781000161076.

References
South side of the church
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