The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Dixton Church

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 01223g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Monmouth
Unitary authority : Monmouthshire
NGR : SO5196613564
Site Type (preferred type first) : Medieval Church
Status : listed building II

Summary :
The church of Dixton appears in the Llandaff Charters, with a probable date of c AD 735. It consists of nave, separate chancel, W tower with spire, N and S porches, and vestry E of the N porch. Herringbone masonry in the N wall of the nave suggests an early origin for the fabric, although the surving medieval windows in the chancel are Perpendicular. Much of the rest of the church's appeareance is due to the restorations of 1824 and 1860.

Description :
The church of Dixton appears in the Llandaff Charters, with a probable date of c AD 735. It was a Celtic monastery; the name is an anglicisation of its original name of Lann Tidiuc (Brooke 1988, 78). The present church, in a square churchyard, consists of nave, separate chancel, W tower, N and S porches, and vestry E of N porch. An earlier incumbent made a search for evidence for a rood screen in the S end of the E wall (Kissock 1969), but apparently without success.

The history of the church is difficult to assess, since it is covered almost completely by render externally and plaster internally. The only parts visible are the chancel (where it is not possible to make out all details because of pointing), the belfry stage and spire on the tower and the south porch externally, and a small portion of the north wall of the nave internally, where plaster has deliberately left off to expose the herringbone masonry. Keith Kissock reports (pers com) that there is a timber over this section of herringbone. Although there is nothing intrinsically datable about this masonry, it is quite likely to be early; it is certainly different from that of the chancel and what is visible of the tower. Although the windows in the chancel are Perpendicular in style, the fabric itself (along with the priest's door) is probably earlier, since both the N and E windows appear to have been inserted: the church was reported as intolerably dark at a visitation of 1397 (Kissock 1974, 45). What is visible of the openings in the N porch also suggests that it was built, or they were added, in the 15th/16th century. Kissock (1969) notes two restorations, the earlier of which (1824) is the date of the vestry, and 1860 when the architect was Seddon. The vestry window is unusually elaborate for this period; as it is similar to the SW nave window, it is likely that the two are contemporary. The other nave windows belong to the 1860 restoration, and are similar to the other work which Seddon was doing at this time. The S porch which was rebuilt from the ground up, together with its N wall and the door from it into the church, also belongs to this second restoration; it is not possible to determine how much of the rest of the fabric of the S wall of the nave was reconstructed at the time, although the door from the N porch into the church was probably involved. Glynne (1902, 87-8) saw the church in 1847 between the two restorations; he notes two porches, so the 1860 rebuilding was obviously a reconstruction of an earlier one, and `a transept...now used as a vestry'. As the exposed herringbone masonry occupies almost all the area between the back of the vestry and the nave, it is obvious that it can never have been a transept.

The internal fittings include a tub font, previously in the chapel of St Michael (PRN 2267) at SO 5270 1500, but not now in use, post-medieval altar rails, a royal arms of 1711, and a renaissance-style plaque, said to have been brought from Italy, built into the N porch and now covered in limewash. Otherwise the fittings are Victorian or later. Some but not all of the monuments have been recorded by Bradney. Wright (1938a, 630 notes four bells. One is a King's Head bell of c 1420; two are of 17th century date (1674, 1682) and the fourth is dated 1876.

References:
Bradney, J A, 1904, A history of Monmouthshire. Vol 1 pt i, The Hundred of Skenfrith,
Brook, D, 1988, The early Christian church in Gwent, Monmouthshire Antiq 5, 67-84
Glynne, S R, 1902, Notes on the older churches in the four Welsh dioceses Archaeol Cambrensis 6 ser 2, 81-114
Kissock, K E, 1969 The Church of St Peter, Dixton, Monmouth, in the Diocese of Hereford
Kissock, K, 1974, Medieval Monmouth. Monmouth
Wright, A, 1938a, The church bells of Monmouthshire ii, Archaeol Cambrensis, 93, 57-74 (63-4)
Evans 1997 GGAT 51 Historic Churches Project

Sources :
Evans, E M , 1997 , Gwent Historic Churches Survey: Churches in the Diocese of Monmouth, Deanery of Chepstow
Evans, E M , 2003 , Early Medieval Ecclesiastical sites in Southeast Wales: Desk based assessment
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

Events :
E001386 : Early medieval ecclesiastical sites in Southeast Wales desk based assessment (year : 2003)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 96486 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/96486/details

Compiled date : 12-03-2004


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