Restoration: Church of St. Caranog, Llangranog

RE-OPENING OF LLANGRANOG PARISH CHURCH. The Parish Church of Llangranog, which has been rebuilt by public subscription as a memorial to the late Mr. Jordan, of Pigeonsford, was re-consecrated by the Bishop of St. David's on Tuesday, the 8th inst. The church was built by Mr. Edwin Giles, from plans prepared by Mr E. H. Lingen Barker, architect, of Hereford, and it has received universal approval. It stands on the old foundations, the south porch and vestry being the only additions. [The Tenby Observer Weekly List of Visitors and Directory 17 September 1885 page 4]

CONSECRATION OF LLANGRANOG NEW CHURCH. The parish church of Llangranog in Cardiganshire stands on a romantic spot a few yards from the sea, and, as is well known to tourists, the dilapidated old building was singularly out of harmony with the surrounding scenery. About two years ago the parishioners resolved to wipe off this reproach, and to restore the church as a memorial to the late George Bowen Jordan Jordan, Esq., of Pigeonsford, a highly esteemed resident landlord, who died in December, 1882. On the 8th ult., the new church, built on the old foundations under the superintendence and from the plans of Mr E. H. Lingen Barker, was consecrated by the Bishop of St. David's...... The following particulars have been supplied to us by the Architect. This church, though practically a new one, and therefore needing consecration in the opinion of the ecclesiastical authorities, has been built upon the old foundations, with vestry and porch additional, the former on the north side of the nave. There was no real division between the nave and the chancel but that of a couple of narrow piers projecting a few inches from the walls, but carrying no arch, and which were wholly disregarded in the pewing that ran on and faced almost every quarter of the compass. The door was at the west end, and there was a rather remarkable construction above it surrounded by a round ball, in which hung a small bell. This, therefore, has now been superseded by a gablet containing two new bells, and having a stone cross instead of the ball, and the side windows (square-headed outside and arched inside), are adopted from a type not uncommon in old work of the latter portion of the fourteenth century in the sister county of Pembroke, and when very lofty side walls cannot be obtained, are more suitable perhaps than those with arches outside. The other windows are arched of course, that below the bell having two, and the east one three divisions, with appropriate traceried heads. A well-proportioned arch, with sub-arch supported on corbelled pendants, now divides the chancel from the nave, and a proper arrangement of choir stalls within the chancel has, of course, been adopted. The earth has been dug away from the north wall, which has been rebuilt, thus securing internal dryness, and a small pathway, with a stone retaining wall, has been formed on the east side to give access to the vestry. The stone used for facing the new walls is a pleasant brownish-grey sandstone from a local quarry, which has been pointed with j dark mortar. The stones have been subjected to very little dressing, rock-faced in fact which applies, of course, to the porch arches and those over the windows. The carving, which is in imitation of natural foliage, fruit and flowers, has been admirably executed by Mr Herridge, of Cardiff. The slates are blueish ones from North Wales, crested with red tiles from Bridgend (ornamental in chancel), and white terra- cotta crosses from Torrington, in Devonshire. The walls have been plastered internally, and a space has been left between the slates and internal plastering (which is only between the rafters) that will make the interior warm in winter and cool in summer, the nave roof being supported on arched principals resting on carved stone corbels, the chancel one being boarded in an arched form for acoustic effect. The floors are of encaustic tile throughout, those in the nave and porch being Worcester ones from W ebb's works, and those in the chancel from Maw's, of Jackfield Salops, the sacrarium ones being more ornamental. The interesting old font has been cleaned and placed upon a new circular base, as it had originally. A new pulpit of pitch-pine supported on a stone base. and a new lectern, reading-desk, and communion table, all in pitch-pine, have also been provided. The sittings (for 114 worshippers) are of the same material, comfortable and substantial in character, and, the stall ends are of ornamental description, with crosses in the heads to correspond with the reading desk. A stone arched credence table has been placed in the south wall, and a very handsome wrought iron and brass altar railing has been supplied by Brawn and Co., of Birmingham the ornamental hinges and other door fittings being supplied by them. The pulpit-desk and suspending lamps were furnished by Messrs Barrett, of Birmingham, and the glazing in patterns of tinted rolled Cathedral glass, came from Mr Ben Gay's works, at Bristol, except a portion of that in the east window, which came from the old church at Llangunllo, and was presented by Sir Marteine Lloyd. The church is effectually warmed by one of Porrit's underground apparatuses. [Pembrokeshire Herald 16 October 1885 page 3]

Reference    The Tenby Observer Weekly List of Visitors and Directory 17 September 1885 page
Reference    Pembrokeshire Herald 16 October 1885 page 3   
Reference    ICBS 08903