St Mary's Church

Nestling in the beautiful Mellte valley, surrounded by rolling weather covered moors and rich farmland pasture is the attractive and historical parish church of St Mary, Ystradfellte, by piecing together available information we can assemble an image of the earliest history of this church.

Before Christianity came to Wales the people followed various pagan religious cults, the Sun, Moon and sources of continuous fresh water were revered as controllers of man’s prosperity and destiny. Upon the death of a member of the tribe the spirit of the deceased was offered to their god and the remains interred. The early Celts, in common with civilisation throughout the world, either cremated or buried their dead in a ‘special place’. This was often the site of a megalithic barrow or a place with earlier ritualistic associations. In Wales such burial grounds were ringed with stones, low walls of turf, or defined by hedges, at their at centre was an open area form oratory.

In 55 B.C. the Romans came to Britain and by the end of the second century A.D. had established marching camps, roads and forts throughout South Wales. The Romans too had their Pagan gods, Christianity slowly spread through the Roman Empire, no doubt influenced by the soldiers who had served in the Holy Lands. With passing of the first edict of toleration in A.D. 311 and the conversion of Emperor Constantine in A.D. 312 Christianity enjoyed a certain acceptability. Evidence has emerged throughout Britain of Roman pottery and metal objects bearing early Christian symbols, Ystradfellte lies beside Sarn Helen, the Roman highway which passes through the parish from the fort of Y Gaer, at Brecon, to the coast. A fascinating walk for ramblers.

Around 550 A.D. the Celtic leader Brychan, with his cousins the brothers of Tybion, fought his way South from Scotland and gained the lands around Cader Arthur, now known as Pen-y-Fan, as spoils of war. This area became the lands of the sons and descendants of Brychan, Brycheinioc, later to become Breconshire. There followed several Welsh princes, who were Christians, called Brychan Brycheinioc. Brychan sister Llia was a Christian and it is believed she lived, and probably worshipped in the parish. The mountain peak named after her. Fan Llia, overlooks the village from the north.

Buildings of the 5th and 6th century were constructed of mud and wattle or of rough wall of dry stones. When a building fell into decline the stones were often removed to be used elsewhere. This is probably why there remains no archaeological evidence of an earlier building on the site of the present church, although the roughly circular shape of the graveyard hints at its pagan origins.

Much of the present church was constructed by Cistercian monks at the end of the 12th century and as was their practice, they dedicated it to St Mary. The stones for the building were probably floated down the river upon rafts from Plas-y-Gors, to the north of the parish, where they were quarried. At that time the river may have meandered much closer to the site.

The plain Norman chancel arch, being slightly offset and of unembellished masonry, is typical of early Cistercian churches. The roof of the chancel in which the alter stands, is lower than the nave, occupied by the congregation, to signify the Lord’s head in repose after death upon the cross. This is also the possible reason for the chancel being constructed askew. In the original building the arch divided the nave from a very small chancel which extended no further than the window now set in the south side. The church walls were simply plastered and were probably decorated with colourful paintings of religious scenes, as was the practice at that time. This small church has undergone considerable alteration to produce the building today.

After Owen Glyndwr had broken the Marcher lordships there was a period of relative peace and prosperity. The population had steadily grown and the church was very much the focus of the community. At that time several priests and their attendants would occupy the chancel to participate in patronal festivals of con-celebration. Both the chancel and the nave were proving to be too small and so the church was considerably enlarged.

The rood screen was introduced during the 15th century enlargement, this decorated screen of the timber construction divided the church in front of the chancel arch and while permitting the congregation to participate in the service. It kept the ever present village dogs from wandering into the chancel, surrounding the screen was a balustrade and a gallery which was about four feet wide. Prominently displayed on top of the screen was the rood, or crucifix, flanked by life-size painted figures of St Mary and St John and a row of large candlesticks, used to illuminate the figures on occasions of festive services.

The gallery was sufficiently wide to allow boys of the parish to sit and sing during services, between 1649 and 1660, the period of the Commonwealth these ‘papish’ reminders’ were removed from churches throughout the land. The rood screen was destroyed all that remains today are the two doors beside the pulpit through which access was gained to the balcony.

The final structural addition to the church was the construction of the bell tower during Restoration, this simple tower with pyramidal timber and battlemented parapet is in pleasant proportion with the new extended church building. At the time, bell towers had become very fashionable, a break in the masonry of the west wall shows where the tower was constructed and this gap was necessary to prevent the effects of oscillation.

The original Norman building had an entrance to the south side and from the graveyard one can clearly see where this had been bricked up. A similar entrance in the north wall was in filled when the later west door was constructed.The present 17th century font replaces the original which was lost at the time of the Interregnum.

In 1882 the church was considerably restored and pews were installed to give a seating capacity of 280, around 1900 the beautiful carved oak reredos and alter, together with eight stained glass windows were given to the church by Ann Jones of Hepste Fawr, in memory of her parents David and Elizabeth Walters. The carved pulpit was a gift of the same donor in memory of her late husband.

The church hall was built in 1913 at a cost of £738 it was designed to seat two hundred people and was the gift of Mrs Napier Higgins in memory of her ancestor Sir David Williams a native of the parish. Sir David had been a judge of the King’s Bench between 1603 -1612. Following the collapse of the original roof timbers the church hall is about to be extensively restored using a voluntary scheme backed by the Manpower Services Commission these repairs will cost around £10,000, this compares with some £70,000 if labour costs were included at commercial rates.

1960

Was a significant year in St Mary’s church calendar, permission was given to film an evening service and St Mary’s had been chosen as an example of a typical Welsh Church. It is believed the resulting film was shown in many countries of the commonwealth.

That year also saw the connection of electricity into the church and the question arose as to what form of lighting should be installed, in order to ensure that their design should be appropriate to the nature of the building. The architect to the cathedrals of Durham, Lichfield, Llandaff and York Minster, Mr George Pace was consulted. The design which he approved was a variation of the fittings which had been installed in Llandaff Cathedral. The lights were especially constructed out of oak for the church by a craftsman from Erwood near Builth Wells. This was very much in accord with the custom and practice throughout the centuries, where an architect and groups of travelling masons and craftsmen have left their marks on several cathedrals. Their work can be clearly identified by distinguishing features of the design.

On top of the reredos is a mother of pearl cross on interesting origin, a party of boys from Abercwmboi travelled overland to the Holy Land. Thinking of holidays they had spent in Ystradfellte they purchased the cross and upon their return presented it to the church. Among the plaques around the walls is one to the right of the reredos which records the debt that farmers, past and present and future will have to pay to the Charity Commissioners for the relief of the poor of the community. Rents have so increased since the original bequest that even in 1960 over£200 was payable that year under this charity.

As one passes through the sturdy lych-gate and stops beneath the ancient yew trees, the largest three being eighteen, sixteen and fourteen feet in diameter, it is fascinating to consider that these  same trees were standing eight hundred years ago when those white clad Cistercian monks first held services in their new church. Stand and reflect upon a remarkable chronology of Welsh social history; the pagan rituals, bleak subsistence farming, the Roman occupation, the laws of the Welsh princes, the devout and industrious monks and the arrival in the parish of King Edward 1 in 1281; then the tyranny of the Norman Marcher lordships, the devastating Great Plague of 1349 and the suppression of Catholicism under Henry VIII. Before the industrial revolution came to nearby Hirwaun and Merthyr, the community were totally dependent upon the results of their labours in the fields. Yet as we stand in the peaceful churchyard with the breeze rustling through the trees, the river babbling nearby and the buzzards crying as they soar overhead, we realise how little as changed.

Noted People of the area.

Henry Rogers 1667 – 1744

A clergyman was the son of Lewis Rogers, Ystradfellte, Breconshire. He was educated at the Collegiate School of Brecon, from which he went to Jesus College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1687. His first curacy was that of Penydaren, a parish adjoining Ystradfellte. From there he migrated into Carmarthenshire, where it is believed he held the curacy of Abergwili. Thence he removed into the Vale of Aeron, being said to havebeen the first of the name that settled in that neighbourhood. It is not known that he was the author of any published work, but there exists evidence to show that he excelled in classical attainments, and left records in calligraphy highly to be admired.

Thomas Watkin Williams 1816-1883

A surgeon, was born at Penllwyn Einon, Ystradfellte, Brecknockshire, and passed through the regular course of study for the medical profession at Guy's hospital. In 1845, he removed to Birmingham, and entered into partnership with Mr W. Watts, then practising in Colrnore Row.

He was for many years one of the honorary surgeons to the Orthopaedic and Spinal Hospital, and a member of the committees of the Birmingham Library (Union Street), the Medical Institute, and the Hospital Saturday organisation. He also filled the presidential chair of the Medical Benevolent Society, and was instrumental in obtaining a higher amount of donations to its funds than any previous president. It is, however, in connection with the British Medical Association that his greatest and best work was done.

Of its local branch he acted as honorary treasurer for 25 years, and he was not allowed to resign, in 1879, without a substantial recognition. From 1863 to 1871, he acted as general secretary to that association, in which he always took the greatest pride, and to the interests of which he applied himself with such success that during his tenure of office the roll of members increased from 1,933 to 3,641.