St James's Church, Rudry

St James's Church, Rudry is an historic Anglican church in the village of Rudry in the Diocese of Monmouth.

St James, Rudry
St James's
51.572°N 3.1657°W / 51.572; -3.1657
DenominationChurch in Wales
Previous denominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusActive
Foundedc. 1254
DedicationSt James the Great
Architecture
Functional statusParish church
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated28 March 1963
StyleEnglish Gothic
Specifications
MaterialsStone
Bells3
Administration
ParishRudry
DeaneryBassaleg
ArchdeaconryNewport
DioceseDiocese of Monmouth

History

The church was founded in the mid 13th Century (possibly 1254) as a wayside shrine used by pilgrims.[1] A church was present at the location by 1295, when it was a chapel of ease to the parish church in Bedwas, St Barrwg. It retained this function for the next 619 years, separating from Bedwas in 1914.[2] The parish records at St James's date back to 1627. After 1254, the Bishop of Llandaf held the right to appoint the parish priest at Rudry, a practice which would continue until 1920. There exists a long-standing local myth that Oliver Cromwell sought refuge in St James's during the English Civil War. Hard evidence for this is lacking, though it is known that King Charles I spent time at nearby Ruperra Castle. In the late 18th Century, the officiant at St James's was Father William Price, an eccentric priest who was known for his habit of swimming naked in local ponds. His son was William Price, the archdruid and pioneer of cremation, who was baptised in St James's in 1800.[3]

Conservation

The church was restored by John Prichard in 1885. It was Grade II listed in 1963.[4] The tower at St James's was refurbished in the early 2011s.[5][6]

Churchyard

There are two Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials in the churchyard, marking the burial place of two soldiers of the First World War. They commemorate Private David John Jones of the Australian Infantry, who died in September 1918, age 34, and Gunner Walter James Moses of the Royal Garrison Artillery, who died in November 1918, age 27.[7]

The war memorial and three chest tombs of the Moses family in the churchyard are Grade II listed.[8][9]

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References
  1. "DW&R Community Council". Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  2. "Church in Wales". Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  3. "Church Website". Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  4. "Cof Cymru – National Historic Assets of Wales – Full Report for Listed Buildings – Church of St James, Rudry". Cadw – Cof Cymru.
  5. "Parish Website". Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  6. coflein NPRN: 301272RCAHMW: Coflein database
  7. "Rudry (ST James) Churchyard". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
  8. "Cof Cymru – National Historic Assets of Wales – Full Report for Listed Buildings – Group of three Moses family chest tombs in churchyard of St James, Rudry". Cadw – Cof Cymru.
  9. "Cof Cymru – National Historic Assets of Wales – Full Report for Listed Buildings – War Memorial in churchyard of St James, Rudry". Cadw – Cof Cymru.
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