The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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St Basil's Church, Basseleg

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00045g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Graig
Unitary authority : Newport
NGR : ST27748712
Site Type (preferred type first) : Medieval Church
Status : listed building II*

Summary :
The first mention of Basseleg is in c 1075, but the name indicates a pre-Norman mother church. The present building consists of consists of nave; separate, weeping chancel; S aisle; the Tredegar Chapel at the N side of the chancel, extending along the N side of the W end of the nave; W tower; S porch; organ chamber built against the S wall of the E end of the aisle; and a polygonal vestry built against the S side of the chancel. The internal batter of the main walls suggests an early construction date, but most of the openings are Victorian or Edwardian replacements.

Description :
The first mention of Basseleg is in c 1075, but it was a pre-Norman monastery, the mother church for Wentloog and probably older than St Woolos, and it has been suggested that the name, a derivation of basilica, may indicate that it is a Late Roman Christian site (Brook 1988, 69-70, 74, 77; Knight, 1993, 9-10). A small Benedictine priory was founded at the beginning of the 12th century, but had been closed by 1291 (Davies 1953, 65, 76); it was endowed with the tithes of Basseleg (among other parishes), but what little evidence there is suggests that it was not on the site of the parish church (Coxe 1801, 58-9).

The churchyard is shown as irregular on the tithe map (NRL M468); it is shown with a rounded W corner at the normal scale, but a detail at larger scale shows this corner as angular. Coxe (1801, 59) noted that a `small gothic edifice, now a school, stands a few paces from the south side of the church'; this building appears on the drawing he publishes on the facing page, but no detail of its architecture can be made out. Glynne (1902, 83) describes it as `a small Perpendicular chapel of plain character; with the east window of three lights; and the roof, ribbed in shape of an arch'.

The church consists of nave; separate, weeping chancel; S aisle; the Tredegar Chapel at the N side of the chancel, extending along the N side of the W end of the nave; W tower; S porch; organ chamber built against the S wall of the E end of the aisle; and a polygonal vestry built against the S side of the chancel. There is no evidence for a rood loft, unless the projection noted by Glynne (1902, 83) on the N side of the nave (probably where the W end of the Tredegar Chapel is now) was originally the rood stair. The church is constructed of red sandstone of the Old Red Sandstone group, mainly in coursed rubble, which is much obscured by mortar. Coarse sandy limestone (`Bath stone') is used for most of the dressings to the openings.

The long walls of the nave, S aisle and chancel all have an internal batter, suggesting an early date, possibly 13th century, if the forms of the chancel arch and tower arch are original. These are both difficult to assess, since the dressings of the chancel arch have been painted and the tower arch has lost its dressings; Glynne (1902, 83) in his undated description of this church, obviously made before restoration, describes the chancel arch as `springing from imposts in the wall, a description which fits the present tower arch more closely than it does the chancel arch. The arcade between the nave and aisle is a Victorian reconstruction, as are all the other openings, apart from those of the tower, which are Late Perpendicular and date to the 15th/16th century. Glynne (1902, 83) noted a four-light Perpendicular E window in the chancel with `some square-headed ones on the south. There was also Perpendicular tracery in the W window of the aisle; its three-light E window `seems to be of poor Decorated style'. On the N side of the chancel he noted `a chapel, now closed' and on the N side of the nave `a projection...containing a family pew'. The arcade between the nave and aisle consisted of five `singularly flat arches, with square piers having imposts'. The porch was `large, but quite plain'.

It is not clear from the visible standing remains at what date the earliest surviving part of the Tredegar chapel was erected. However, Coxe (1801, 59) notes that an heiress to the Tredegar estate `is interred in a cemetery lately erected by her husband, who has transferred the burial place of the Tredegar family from Machen to this church', and this may be a reference to the construction of what is now the chapel as a mausoleum; his illustration appears to show what is now the E end of the chapel already in situ. Coxe (1801, 59) notes a late 18th century restoration and refitting of the church, This was presumably responsible for the fact that when Glynne (1902, 83) saw the church he noted that `the windows of the nave and aisle are mostly deprived of their tracery'.

The date of the Victorian restoration which saw the reconstruction of the porch and the renewal of the windows is not known, but the aisle arcade was rebuilt in 1879, architects Habershon, Fawckner and Co, to replace one of heavy square piers an low arches; a new window was put in behind the Tredegar family pew at the same time, and a new lectern provided (ex inf J Newman). The faculty for constructing the organ chamber was granted in 1902 (GRO D/Pa 47.110), and the E wall of the chancel was rebuilt in the following year. The Tredegar Chapel was extended to its present form in 1916 (GRO D/Pa 47.131), and its internal fittings date to this period.

With the exception of fragments of early glass, possibly 17th century Flemish, in the E and S windows of the chancel, all the internal fittings are Victorian or later. Wright notes six bells, all apparently of 1866 (Wright 1937, 304)

References:
Documentary
GRO D/Pa 47.110, 1902, Faculty for restoration of St Basil's by addition of new organ chamber at end of S aisle, removal of organ from W end, provide new ceilings, restore tower, rehang six bells, repair clock, raise chancel floor and altar, external drain, reglaze, erect screen across tower arch, install new heating apparatus
GRO D/Pa 47.131, 1916, Erection or adaption of former Tredegar family vault into memorial chapel to be known as the Tredegar Memorial Chapel
NRL M468, 1844, Tithe map.

Published
Bradney, J A, 1993, A history of Monmouthshire. Vol V, The Hundred of Newport (ed M Grey), 78-81
Brook, D, 1988, The early Christian church in Gwent, Monmouthshire Antiq 5, 67-84
Coxe, W, 1801, An historical tour in Monmouthshire, 58-9*
Davies, E T,1953, An ecclesiastical history of Monmouth. Risca
Evans, J D, 1988, The churchyard yews of Gwent, 44, 54, 66, 114, 151
Glynne, S R, 1902, Notes on the older churches in the four Welsh dioceses Archaeol Cambrensis 6 ser 2, 81-114 (83)
Knight, J K, 1993, The early church in Gwent, II: The early medieval church, Monmouthshire Antiquary 9, 1-14
Wright, A, 1937, The church bells of Monmouthshire i, Archaeol Cambrensis, 92, 294-310 (304)
Evans 1997 GGAT 51 Historic Churches Project

Remodelled 14th and 15th century parish church. Possible site of Basseleg Priory founded c1105 and abandoned by 1235 (Procter 2018). Associated with Llantarnam Abbey.

Sources :
Evans, E M , 1997 , Gwent Historic Churches Survey: Churches in the Diocese of Monmouth, Archdeaconry of Newport
Evans, E M , 2003 , Early Medieval Ecclesiastical sites in Southeast Wales: Desk based assessment
Procter, E. , 2018 , The topographical legacy of the medieval monastery: evolving perceptions and realities of monastic landscapes in the southern Welsh Marches
The Handley Partnership , HAAbase built heritage assessment system: Buildings at Risk database
Evans EM, 2003-04, GGAT 73 Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Sites Project
EM Evans (1998) GGAT 51/81 Welsh Historic Churches Survey: Glamorgan and Gwent
08/PM List/Crossby & Ridgway/FH+MH/1959/AntiCamb/Vol 108 p 70
02/PM Desc Text//Knowles & Hadcock/1953/Med Relig houses/pp58 & 356
05/PM Desc Text//Evans/CJO/1954/Mon Hist & Topog/pp.222-4
04/PM Map//Rees/W/1951/Hist Atlas of Wales/p24.p1.27
07/PH Desc Text////1859/Arch Camb/3rd ser. Vol15
01/MM Record Card/OS///1957/ST 28 NE 7/
06/PH Desc Text//Coxe/W/1801/Hist tour in Mon/pp58-9
03/PM Desc Text//Lloyd/JE/1954/Hist of Wales/Vol1.p270

Events :
E001386 : Early medieval ecclesiastical sites in Southeast Wales desk based assessment (year : 2003)
E008229 : Bassaleg School, Newport (year : 2019)

Related records
Church in Wales Reference No. 4626 https://churchheritagecymru.org.uk/CHR/ChurchDetails.aspx?id=4071
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00624g
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00046g
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 220349 https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/220349/details/st-basils-church-bassaleg

Compiled date : 12-03-2004


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