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Description
St Baglan's Church, Baglan, Glamorgan Photography by John Ball - 3 December 2003 (with a Fuji Finepix S602 Zoom digital camera)
Image 1:
South-western corner of St Baglan's Church
In 1860, L. Tallis wrote:
BAGLAN, is a parish in the hundred of Neath. The village is of the most romantic beauty, and the scenery in the neighbourhood is of a delightful character. Near this place is Britton Ferry which is interesting, not only on account of its sylvan fascinations, but as being the domain of Lord Jersey, whose extensive plantations spread over several bold hills westward of the Neath river, a stream which here emerges in a fine sweep, between woody banks, partly broken into cliffs, and at a short distance descends into the sea. This part of Wales is so mild in its climate, that myrtles, magnolias, and other tender exotics, grow luxuriantly in the open air. Near Baglan is a well with medicinal properties, but many superstitious customs are associated with its use in the neighbourhood.
[Source: page 68 of Tallis's Topographical Dictionary of England and Wales, published 1860]
The parish of Baglan was originally served by a medieval single-chamber church. The church fell into a ruinous state in the 19th century and was replaced by a "new" church, built near the old church between 1875 and 1892 in Victorian gothic style and dedicated to St Catharine of Alexandria. On a recent sunny December morning I decided to visit Baglan and photograph the old church, which is now but a shell after a fire in 1954. The old church is dedicated to St Baglan, a disciple of St Illtyd.
Image 2:
West wall, entrance, window, and double belfry.
Image 3:
The west entrance was guarded by an iron gate bearing a warning notice.
Image 4:
The interior of the church was overgrown with brambles, and the 16th century windows in the south wall were blocked.
Image 5:
15th century east window, viewed from the west entrance.
Image 6:
South-eastern aspect of the church.
Image 7, 9:
15th century east window.
Image 8:
Above: West door and belfrey, viewed through east window.
Image 10:
Looking west beyond the south wall of the old church. The new church is out of sight through the trees. Several of the oldest gravestones have been set against the base of the south wall (see examples below).
Image 11:
IN
Memory of
JOHN LEWIS
of this Parish
who died 23rd Decbr 1795
Aged 45 Years.
Also MARGARET wife of the above
JOHN LEWIS who died
26th Sepbr 1821 Aged 69 Years
Also of JOHN LEWIS son of
LEWIS & MARGARET LEWIS
& Grandson of the above named
who died March 27th 1848
Aged 23 Years
Also the above LEWIS LEWIS
who died February 23rd 1857
Aged 66 Years.
Image 12:
HERE
lieth the body of John David
who departed this life the 10th
day of October 1708 Aged 78 yrs
HERE
also lieth the body of Joan ye wife
of the above John David who de
parted this life ye 1st day of November
1726 Aged 87 years
HERE also lieth the body of
David John Son of the said John
David who departed this life the 24th
day of July 1745 Aged 71 years
Also William John Grandson of the
said DAVID JOHN who departed....
[Note the use of patronymic naming in the inscription above]
Image 13:
This old headstone was in the shade of a tree (inscription below picture).
IN
Memory of
MARGARET the Wife of
REES JOHN of this Parish
who died the 7th of Octbr 1832
AGED 64
Also the Above REES JOHN
who died Decbr 22 1847
Aged 81 Years
Image 14:
Ominous warning seen on another tombstone; possibly an example of a cholera death.
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