St Jerome's

The parish church of St.Jerome in the village of Llangwm is discreetly situated in a valley on the lower end of the village green and is partly screened by its skirting wall.  The lay-out of the church is of a cruciform shape-with a nave, a chancel, a north chapel and a south transept-conforming to the pattern of churches of the 12th to 13th centuries.

The church has been dedicated to St.Jerome (formerly St.Heirom) since 1786.  St.Jerome, born in the 4th century, is particularly known for his revision of the New Testament and Psalms and later for his translation of most of the books of the Old Testament directly from Hebrew into the ‘vulgar’ style of Latin actually spoken by the people of the time.  St. Jerome’s day is celebrated on September 30th, the date on which he died.

 

History.

Available evidence suggested that the church dates from the 12th century and was built by the Great Nash branch of the de la Roche family.  The list of rectors, inside the church next to the south transept, dates from 1488 but unquestionably there were rectors before that date.

 

The North Aisle

The small, elegant north aisle was either built or reconstructed during the second half of the 14th century-the upper sections being rebuilt in the 1880’s.  This chapel is entered through two pointed arches, one of which houses the organ, and contains several late medieval artefacts.

View of nave showing entrance to north aisle, on left, through two pointed arches

On the north wall of this chapel are two canopied recesses under each of which is an effigy.

Under the western recess is the mutilated form of a lady.  Her dress is a loose robe held by the right hand of the figure and her head attire is elegant.  Her feet are small and rest on a little dog.  This effigy, being of an earlier period to that of the other effigy, is certainly not in its original place.

Under the eastern recess is an effigy of an armoured knight, lying cross-legged with his right hand on his sword and his face turned toward the spectator.His beautiful shoes have pointed toes and are in the shape and general appearance of those worn in the reign of Edward III.

It is believed that this effigy is in situ and that it covers the bones of the deceased warrior.  Both effigies are thought to depict members of the de la Roche family.

In the east wall of the chapel is a pillared piscine, thought to be unique in Wales but similar to some found in France.  It has a triangular-headed recess with armorial relief-work and a projecting square canopy which is cusped and exhibits similar relief-work.

A moulded pinnacle rises from the top of the canopy and the cylindrical bowl, with similar relief-work, lies upon a cylindrical attached shaft. Dating from the early 15th century the piscine would have been used for washing sacred vessels during the Consecration.

Near the piscina is a squint or hagioscope which was rediscovered by Dr. Henry Owen during the first part of the 20th century.  This diagonal aperture through the wall would enable those in the chapel to view the altar.  The squint is lit by a single light window from the 14th century.

 

The chancel

The upper sections of the chancel were substantially rebuilt, like the upper sections of the north aisle, during the late 19th century.  Taking prominence, above the altar, is the beautiful 3 light east window which was newly inserted in the 1880’s and is believed to be a particularly good example of its type.

The two north wall windows, from the 1880’s, occupy the rebuilt recesses of medieval predecessors.  The south window was newly inserted in the 1880’s.

The south transept

The small south transept is lit by a window in the south wall, like the nave windows, from the 1880’s and enlarged from an earlier opening.  A blocked window in the east wall is visible from the outside and may date from the 17th century.

There is an internal corbel (projection from the wall), to the south of the same wall, probably from medieval times.  The south transept is traditionally known as the Roch chapel.

 

The nave

The nave fabric is substantially similar to that of the chancel, but the upper sections do not appear to have been rebuilt.  The nave and chancel are divided by a chancel arch of the 13th-early 14th century.  The arch from the south transept (now used as a vestry) is similar to the chancel arch.  The organ has been in use since the early 1890’s and presumably was located in the chancel having been moved to the north aisle in 1917.

The church bell is reputed to be Elizabethan.  It has a latin inscription which translates into ‘Holy Trinity, One God.  Have mercy on us.’  The bellcote was rebuilt in the 1880’s.

 

Entrance and porch

The church was formerly entered through opposing north and south doors, blocked before the 1880’s when a doorway in the present position had already been inserted.  The south porch was added in the 1880’s.

 

Weekly Services.

Sunday                                         9am                                  Holy Eucharist

Wednesday                                9.30am                                Said Eucharist

Rector: Rev. Jane Goupillon.