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Christ Church, Aberbeeg

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NPRN307478
Map ReferenceSO20SW
Grid ReferenceSO2074001600
Unitary (Local) AuthorityCaerphilly
Old CountyMonmouthshire
CommunityCrumlin
Type Of SiteCHURCH
Period20th Century
Description

Christ Church is situated off Pantddu Road, in a commanding position overlooking the Ebbw Valley on a spur just south of the confluence of the Ebbw and the Ebbw Fach rivers. It was built in 1907-09 in Perpendicular style to designs of architect E. A. Johnson of Abergavenny. On Monday 14th October 1907 the stone laying ceremony took place, conducted by the Bishop of Llandaff. The contractor was Ernest T. Bevan of Penarth. It took the place of St Illtyd's near Brynithel Llanhilleth as the new parish church. Unfinished, due to financial constraints, it was planned on a larger scale but only part of the nave was built on the cleared platform which still survives extending to the west.
The church is constructed of snecked rockfaced stone with ashlar dressings and Welsh slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles and cruciform finials. It comprises a landmark south-east tower, chancel, vestry, organ chamber, transepts and part of north and south aisles (only a 1/3rd of nave and aisles ever built). The unbuttressed tower has a square south-east stair-turret and ashlar battlements. The main doorway is through the tower; had the building been completed a formal nave entrance would have been provided.
Inside, the two bays of the unfinished nave have half-round red sandstone piers with pale stone flat sides and moulded capitals. The north transept is open; to the south the aisle is boarded off to form a chapel. The chancel is not rendered and is dominated by a wide stone reredos stretching across the east end. The pulpit is of stone with canopywork panels and stiff-leaf bands. Stained glass includes work by J.Wippell & Co (1966 & 1967).
The church was declared redundant in 2012.

 

Sources:

Christchurch Abereeg - Llanhilleth New Parish Church, outoftheblueartifacts.com
extracts from Cadw Listing description
J.Newman, Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire (2000), p.87.


David Leighton, RCAHMW, 30 January 2015