St Mellons Parish Church, also previously called St Melan's church, is a

Church in Wales The Church in Wales () is an Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The position is currently held b ...

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...

in the Diocese of Monmouth in

Old St Mellons Old St Mellons () is a village and community on the eastern edge of Cardiff, Wales. Lying to the east of the Rhymney River, it forms part of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is separated from the modern St Mellons suburb by the main r ...

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

, Wales. It was built around the 13th century and is a Grade I listed building.

History

It is not known when the church was first constructed however it first appears in historical records in 1254. It has been theorised that during their

conquest of Wales The conquest of Wales by Edward I took place between 1277 and 1283. It is sometimes referred to as the Edwardian conquest of Wales,Examples of historians using the term include Professor J. E. Lloyd, regarded as the founder of the modern academ ...

, the Normans constructed it as their new church and dedicated it to St

Mellonius Saint Mellonius (229-314) was an early 4th-century Bishop of Rotomagus (now Rouen) in the Roman province of Secunda Provincia Lugdunensis (now Normandy in France). He is known only from a 17th-century 'Life' of little historical value, meanin ...

, the early 4th-century

Bishop of Rouen The Archdiocese of Rouen (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Rothomagensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Rouen'') is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. As one of the fifteen Archbishops of France, the Archbishop of Rouen's ecclesi ...

who was purported to have been born in the same area of Wales. Though the church had been standing since the 13th century, none of the original materials makes up substantial parts of the church as it currently stands. The only parts of the church that remain from its original construction are the base of a

high cross A high cross or standing cross (, , ) is a free-standing Christian cross made of stone and often richly decorated. There was a unique Early Medieval tradition in Ireland and Britain of raising large sculpted stone crosses, usually outdoors. Th ...

in the churchyard and the base of the

Baptismal font A baptismal font is an Church architecture, ecclesiastical architectural element, which serves as a receptacle for baptismal water used for baptism, as a part of Christian initiation for both rites of Infant baptism, infant and Believer's bapti ...

which was made from parts of a Norman pier. It is implied that the church was reconstructed in the 14th century in view of the architecture of the tower and the design of the

stained glass window Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

s. In the 19th century, the church underwent a series of restorations respecting its medieval designs. The renovations of 1858–9 to the main body of the church by

George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), largely known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he ...

were sponsored by

Edward Augustus Freeman Edward Augustus Freeman (2 August 182316 March 1892) was an English historian, architectural artist, and Liberal politician, a one-time candidate for Parliament. He held the position of Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford, where he tut ...

Llanrumney Hall Llanrumney Hall () is Grade II* listed building in Llanrumney, Cardiff, Wales. The Elizabethan mansion was built in 1450, rebuilt in 1852 and refurbished around 1900. Throughout its history it has been a stately home and more recently a pub. In t ...

. Further work of circa 1869 was by

Charles Buckeridge Charles Buckeridge (''circa'' 1832–1873) was a British Gothic Revival architect who trained as a pupil of Sir George Gilbert Scott. He practised in Oxford 1856–1868 and in London from 1869. He was made an Associate of the Royal Institute ...

. The chancel was restored in 1875 by

Ewan Christian Ewan Christian (1814–1895) was a British architect. He is most frequently noted for the restorations of Southwell Minster and Carlisle Cathedral, and the design of the National Portrait Gallery (London), National Portrait Gallery. He was Arch ...

with the tower following in 1910.

Listing

St Mellons Parish Church was granted Grade I listed status in 1963 owing to it retaining the majority of its medieval fabric. The base of the cross in the churchyard was granted Grade II status in 1977 to group it with the rest of the monuments on the church site as a "vestigial medieval churchyard cross for group value with the church and other listed items in St Mellons churchyard".

References

External links

{{Commons category, St Mellons Church
Official website
Grade I listed churches in Cardiff Church in Wales church buildings in Cardiff