St Tewdric's Church

St Tewdric's Church
Church of St Tewdric
Denomination	Church in Wales
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic Church of England
History
Founder(s)	Meurig ap Tewdrig
Dedication	St Tewdric
Cult(s) present	King Tewdrig
Architecture
Status	active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	1955
Years built	6th century 13th century 15th century 19th century
Administration
Parish	Mathern
Diocese	Diocese of Monmouth

St Tewdric's Church is a Church in Wales parish church in Mathern, Monmouthshire, Wales. It is purportedly built over the resting place of Saint Tewdrig for whom it is named. A church has been located on the site since the 6th century. It was reconstructed by the Normans in the Early English style, and later was renovated by the Victorians. It is a Grade I listed building.

According to the Liber Landavensis, when King Tewdrig fell in battle against the Anglo-Saxons at the River Wye, it was his desire to be buried on Ynys Echni; however the soldiers were unable to get his body there. Instead, he was buried at Mathern by his son Meurig ap Tewdrig. An oratory was built on top of his grave, and the land surrounding it was given to the Celtic Christian Bishops of Llandaff. Nearby Mathern Palace was later built for the use of the bishops.

Following the Norman conquest of Wales, the Celtic foundation was rebuilt in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, in the Early English style. The chancel and nave arcades of the existing church date from those periods, so that "the interior is dominated by work of the C13," though the west pier of the north arcade dates from the previous century. In the words of architectural historian John Newman, it was later "grandiosely enlarged" by John Marshall, the Bishop of Llandaff between 1478 and 1496. Under his stewardship, the aisles were widened, a porch added on the south side, and the tower, built of ashlar blocks, was constructed.

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