GlamorganPONTLOTTYNStTyfaelog(jaggeryCC-BY-SA2.0)1 Jaggery

St Tyfaelog

St Tyfaelog's is situated in a grassy churchyard which slopes down to the east and set back from the main thoroughfare.

Pontlottyn, Glamorgan

Opening times

Open by arrangement.

Address

Merchant Street
Pontlottyn
Glamorgan
CF81 9PS

This small church, in Early English Gothic Revival style, known as the Cathedral of the Valley, was built in 1862-3 by Charles Buckeridge for the Revd Gilbert Harries. It is built of snecked, rock faced Pennant sandstone with red brick dressings and banding, a very deep unbroken roof of Welsh slate with overhanging eaves swept down low over the aisles, and metal cruciform finials. Its plan comprises nave with aisles each side, steeply gabled small west porch, and chancel with curved apse. The chancel roof, conical over the apse, is slightly stepped down. The windows are mostly lancets with moulded brick hoods.

The interior is polychromatic, achieved with contrasting banded brick, painted render, brick and stone. The roof is boarded, more decorative and cusped to the chancel, and some fittings for former gas chandeliers are still present. The three bay aisle arcades have pointed arches which are two ordered of contrasting red brick and white painted stone, the piers circular with moulded caps, clustered at the ends.

Other interior features include, near the west door to the south, a deep immersion baptismal pool of stone, brick and tile, with an inset cross in the tiled floor; a large square bowled font; a stone pulpit with open canopywork at the northeast of the nave; part parquet floor reputedly made from railway sleepers; and the chancel richly furnished with decorative crested wood panelling and choir stalls with poppy heads, a refurbishment dating to around the time of the first World War.

  • Glorious furnishings

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Captivating architecture

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Parking within 250m

  • On street parking at church

  • Level access to the main areas

  • Dog friendly

  • Church in Wales

Contact information

Other nearby churches

St Mary & St Andrew

Pentwyn Fochriw, Glamorgan

Originally the site of a schoolroom, a chancel was added and opened for worship in 1864 with an adjacent burial ground consecrated in 1866.

Penuel Baptist Church

Rhymney, Glamorgan

A large bilingual Welsh Baptist church built in the early 19th century.