A POWYS church that is more than 800 years old is to finally get its leaky roof repaired, thanks to a local benefactor and donations from the local community.
The Church of St David in Colva, high up in the Radnorshire hills, is full of ancient history and dates back to 1200.
Work started on November 13 and is expected to be completed by February. The 13th century church and churchyard will be closed for health and safety reasons while the work is carried out.
The project was made possible by a gift of shares from a local benefactor and donations from the local community. Funding as also come from the Benefact Trust, CADW, Community Foundation Wales, the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
St David’s, thought to be is one of the highest churches in Wales, is listed Grade II* and sits in Colva, set back from an old drovers’ road between Gladestry and Glascwm.
The work will involve removing the badly deteriorated cedar shingles on the south slope of the roof and replacing them with natural Welsh slate from Ffestiniog. Guttering, downpipes and drainage will also be installed. The north slope was renewed in 2008 but because of problems with the west wall that needed to be addressed, there was not enough money to complete the whole roof.
“We do hope that you will visit the church once the work is completed,” said Reverend Rachael Storer.
“St David’s is an ancient and peaceful place and as well as enjoying the stunning views there is much of interest inside.
“Rare and important wall paintings were uncovered in the 1980s. These contain remnants of reformation texts over earlier medieval paintings and a rare memento mori which experts say is impossible to date.
“Although abraded over the years the paintings are still visible and have been included in the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales illustrated volume ‘Painted Temples’.
“There are several memorials to local families inside the church, the oldest dating back to 1773, and the churchyard has many old gravestones, many of which are now corroded; the oldest still legible is dated 1703.
“If you would like to search your ancestry you can peruse a list of burials from 1666 to the present day; where they were available the list includes occupation and abodes and provides a very interesting background to the area and its social history.”
St David’s sits on the Kilvert Trail and is much visited by walkers and receives visitors from all over the world.
Rev Storer added: “It is so important to look after our heritage and cultural history and ensure that these buildings survive for future generations to enjoy.
“There is much more we would like to do and repairs and maintenance will always be needed.”
The current work is being supervised by Hook Mason, Conservation Architects of Hereford, ecologists Just Mammals of Brecon and the conservation builders are Jenkinsons of Brecon.
Visits to the church next year when repairs are complete are very much encouraged. If you would like to make a donation towards the upkeep of this ancient building, contact Rev Rachael Storer at: The Rectory, School Lane, New Radnor, LD8 2SS, or email RachaelStorer@cinw.org.uk.
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