St Michael's Church, Clyro, Radnorshire
Note 1: St Michael's church lies in the village of Clyro about 2 km from Hay-on-Wye. The church with its north aisle, nave and chancel is wholly Victorian – only the lower stages of the west tower are late medieval. Internally there is little of pre-19thC date, and the polygonal churchyard contains some 18thC monuments though many are in poor condition. Bottom stage of tower thought to be early 15thC on basis of west window and doorway from nave; a second stage is undated and might represent a rebuild; the third stage is presumably Victorian. Rest of building is Victorian though some of the chancel may incorporate re-used masonry.
Note 2: Only the 16th century tower, heightened in 1894, survived the total rebuilding of the rest of the church by Nicholson in 1853.
Note 3: The parish of Clyro features strongly in the diary of the Rev Francis Kilvert (below left) who, from 1865 until 1872, was curate to the Rev Richard Lister Venables, Vicar of Clyro. The Kilvert diary runs from 1870 to 1879 and records in great detail the landscape, the people and his work as curate. It is written in such an elegant and charming way that it immediately grabs the attention and interest of the reader. As a snapshot of everyday experiences in a remote border community Kilvert's Diary has become a classic biography and a work of literature in its own right. For further details, see The Kilvert Trail on the Church in Wales website.
Above: Memorial to Ralph Baskerville of Clyro (see also below right).
Right: Extract from the Brecon County Times
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