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St James' Church, Pyle c.1907
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Kenfig History & Community / Religion / Churches / St James' Church, Pyle
St James' Church, Pyle (Parish of Pyle & Kenfig)
The benefice of Pyle and Kenfig is a single parish benefice in the deanery of Margam - it is also known as Cynffig.
St James' Church, Pyle (Built c.1471)
Known locally as 'The Upside-down Church' as it is reputed that when the sands threatened to engulf Kenfig, the old church of St James' in the town was dismantled
stone by stone and re-built in 'reverse' at it's present location. An observation of the structure shows in some places small stones low down on the building
supporting much larger stones above. A blocked-up priest's door on the south side of the chancel is one such element of this but another legacy of this transfer
is best seen outside of the south wall of the nave. A carving on a small wooden shield on the north roof timber base indicates 1471 as the date for its rebuilding.
St James' Church, Pyle is a Grade 1 listed building.
History of the Church
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St James' Church serves the Parish of Pyle & Kenfig; a church of the same name once served the medieval borough of Kenfig that was established by the
Normans during the 12th century. The Kenfig burgesses built Maudlam Church c.1255 as a chapel of ease to the first St James' with this church dedicated to St
Mary Magdalene. The present day St James' church was built on land called 'Grammus Hill' formally held by a Norman family called Grammus.
St James' Church, Pyle was built c.1471; this year is carved on a small wooden shield inside the church on the northern wall plate - architecural features
of the church also appear consistant with this date. However, the south nave wall appears to show evidence of a change of build between narrow-coursed stone
around 5 feet above ground-level and good squared ashlar in upper courses. There also appears differing stonework in the chancel that may suggest different
building campaigns.
The Building
Interior of St James Church c.1950
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St James Church, Pyle
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St James' church is a Grade 1 listed building. It is perpendicular two-cell church of nave & chancel with a small south porch and a western tower.
An organ loft under a gabled roof adjoins the north side of the chancel which retains much of its early fabric.
Stylistically the church appears to be largely of late 14th century although there appears evidence in the fabric of earlier construction in the lower parts
of the south wall of the nave which is built in rubble-stone in contrast to the ashlar stone above it and in the chancel arch which maybe of early 14th
or 13th century.
The tower is of 3 storeys, square with crenellated pararpets and a pitched slate roof. Parapet gutters in the tower are made & weathered with stone tabling.
The original 15th century roof structure survives in the tower. Apart from the 2 square head two-light windows in the south wall of the nave (1 each at the
south east & south west corners of the nave) all the remaining windows & the priest's door in the south wall of the chancel appear to be medieval.
The chancel windows have slightly unusual square shouldered label stops. The nave retains its medieval wagon roof dated 1471 which has moulded principal
braces & collar purlin and carved escutcheons on the wall plates.
The church is built entirely of local Bridgend calcareous sandstone and Sutton stone largely in ashlar although the lower courses of the south wall
of the nave (below waist level) together with the north wall of the nave are built in coursed rubble stone. In 1993 the roofs were covered with natural slate
which have now been replaced with modern artificial slate.
The churchyard cross on four steps was restored in 1925. The graveyard contains several listed chest tombs which are regarded as significant examples
of mid 19th century monuments.
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Source: Bridgend County Borough Council Library & Information Services / Parish of Pyle & Kenfig
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The Church Hall
Located on Pyle Road (A48) next to the Vicarage.
The Church Hall, Pyle c.1900
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Pyle Children's Concert c.1925 (Revd. D.G.Arthur Vicar in centre of group)
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Historical details to follow...
Consistory Court Case - 1485
The surviving Kenfig burgesses bitterly opposed the construction of the new church at Pyle, claiming that the one at Maudlam was older, stood within the enlarged boundary of the Borough and should therefore be accorded the status of being the parish church.
This dispute reached a climax in 1485 when the people of Pyle actually took the Burgesses to court and
obtained an order forcing them to acknowledge the status of the new church.
The dispute rumbled on for centuries and in 1810 a Vicar of the parish who just happened to be a
burgess and who several times held the office of Portreeve, claimed that Maudlam was his parish church
and Pyle merely its chapel of ease.
Local Treasures
St James' Church, Pyle houses some important artefacts
- The East window displays perpendicular tracery - it's stained glass being installed as a memorial to parishioners who fell in the 1914-1918 War.
- Memorial plaques of the 17th century can be seen in the chancel.
Incumbents - Pyle & Kenfig Parish (1154 AD to Present)
Date |
Name / Details |
1154 |
Henry Thusard - founder of the Church of Kenfig |
1170 |
Daniel & Richard, Priests of Kenfig |
1197 |
John, Priest of Kenfig |
1202-1219 |
Stephen, Clerk of Kenfig |
1207-1267 |
Thomas, Chaplain of Kenfig |
1220-1230 |
Robert & John, Priests of Kenfig |
1226 |
Hugo, Vicar of Kenfig |
1233-1271 |
Richard, Clerk of Kenfig |
1242 |
Gilbert of Sully, Vicar of Kenfig died |
Walter Alured presented by the Abbot of Tewkesbury - succeeded above Gilbert |
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1254-1266 |
William, Clerk of Kenfig |
1258 |
John Bareth, Clerk of Kenfig |
1258-1266 |
Philip, Clerk of Kenfig |
1276 |
Hugh, Vicar of Kenfig, Robert Presbyter |
1289 |
Robert of St Fagan's, Vicar |
1329 |
Nicholas de Sherlake, Vicar |
1397-1411 |
John Tudor, Vicar |
1460 |
Sir John Stradling, Vicar |
1544 |
Griffith ap Lefen, Vicar |
1548 |
Robert Thomas |
1553-1554 |
Philip Grant |
1562-1563 |
Richard Rees |
1596-1597 |
William Lloyd M.A. |
1607 |
John Howard (or Hayward) |
1662 |
John Butler |
1665 |
William Jones |
1687-1715 |
William Lewis |
1725-1753 |
John Thomas (Described as Curate of Pyle & Newton Nottage) |
1740 |
John Williams |
1753-1757 |
John Walters, Lexicographer |
1757-1794 |
John Williams (died 1794) |
1795 |
John Hunt LI.D. |
1799-1820 |
John Morgan |
1820 |
Richard Williams |
1849 |
William Williams |
1854 |
John Banks Price |
1860 |
Walter Evans |
1863 |
Daniel Evans |
1865 |
John N Evans |
1874 |
Watkin Davies |
1880 |
W Pascal Davies |
1883 |
John Tyssul Evans |
1889 |
Thomas Melville Jones |
1904 |
John Bangor Davies |
1915 |
David John Arthur |
1938 |
D Godfrey Samuel |
1949 |
David Davies |
1972 |
J Chalk |
1977 |
P G White |
1999 |
Erle Hastey |
2005 |
Ian Rees |
2011 |
Dr Duncan Walker |
Source: The Parish of Pyle & Kenfig
The Parish of Pyle & Kenfig Official Website
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