Kerry Church of St Michael and All Angels
Has been described as a Questionable Fortified Ecclesiastical site
There are major building remains
| Name | Kerry Church of St Michael and All Angels |
| Alternative Names | Ceri |
| Historic Country | Montgomeryshire |
| Modern Authority | Powys |
| 1974 Authority | Powys |
| Community | Kerry |
Located within a circular churchyard on the N side of the Square, at the centre of Kerry village.
Kerry was the early centre of Christianity of the cwmwd of Ceri. The church was reputedly founded in the C8 by Cadwgan, then within the diocese of Llanbadarn. The pre-conquest collegiate church which is believed to have occupied the same site, was re-dedicated on a famous occasion in 1176 when archdeacon Giraldus de Barri (Cambrensis) forcibly claimed the church for the diocese of St David's, excommunicating the rival Bishop of St Asaph at the church door. The present building incorporates a late C12 nave with arcades to N and S aisles, the latter removed in the C17, a stout C12-C13 W tower and C14 chancel. It was restored by G.E. and later A.E.Street from 1881-3, the tower further restored in 1924 by Harold Hughes. The apsidal E end of the Norman church was uncovered during the C19 restoration.
Medieval, C14, arch-braced collar beam roof with windbraces over nave, restored 1883, and arch-braced collar roof with cusped windbraces and 2 tiers of purlins over aisle, the trussed rafter barrel roof over the E end springing lower. Walls plastered. Four bay round-arch arcade to N aisle set on circular columns with round capitals enriched, on the W respond, with dog- tooth. The single order nave arcade develops as a two-order chamfered round arch order against the chancel, with increasing richness, ballflowers and mouldings towards the E. The bases of a similar arcade appear externally on the S side. Fine C14 piscina in N aisle, E end. The upper stage of the tower is timber framed, with very long tension braces. The bellframe is freestanding, of 3 bays, probably C17, with straight bracing to the centre posts, and carries three bells, one dated 1679, another inscribed God Save the Church of England (sic). Glass: E window, a crucifixion, by Kempe, c1871. Fittings: All C19. Font, at W end of aisle, a panelled octagon on a tapering base, raised over 2 steps
Pulpit, oak part octagon, raised on stone steps and incorporating some late medieval work. Altar rail a heavy round pole with terminals, on iron supports. Reredos of Grinshill stone, panelled, with brattished cornice. The choir stalls, of Riga pine, have a front range with book stand. Monuments: At W end of N aisle, (a) a fine monument comprising a casket flanked by reading and writing children. Pedestal over with coloured arms carrying a full portrait bust, all set against a grey stone field. To Richard Jones of Black Hall, later Greenwich, purser in the Royal Navy and benefactor, 1788. Also (b) Oval wall tablet, white tablet on oval, to William Broome 1786. (c) Oval white on grey, to Hugh Maxwell, 1810 (the date altered); (d) Draped urn over tablet, coved corners and guttae, arms and palms, by Booby Fr of Bath, to John Owen Herbert, 1824; (e) White tablet on black, to Rev. John Jenkins Gatehouse Comments
Harrison writes has crenellations and draw bar holes to secure the entrance. It should also be noted it was standard for all churches to use martial symbols like battlements to represent God's dominion on earth and that church towers are structure which have to hold heavy, moving and vibrating bells and which need to be strongly built for this reason, particularly in places, like much of Wales, where mortar is of poor quality.
- Philip Davis
Not scheduled
This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law
Historic Wales CADW listed database record number
The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | SO146902 |
| Latitude | 52.5020599365234 |
| Longitude | -3.25801992416382 |
| Eastings | 314620 |
| Northings | 290210 |
