We enjoy visiting and doing Church Micro's so we thought we would add one to the CM series which is a fine example St Martin's Church Caerphilly.
You do not have to enter the Church to find the information but it is highly recommended.
Exterior
Large church in Early English style with geometrical tracery. Nave, lower chancel, NW tower, gabled S aisle, N aisle, N porch, chancel with transepts containing chapel and vestry, and small lean-to in NE angle. Constructed of snecked rock-faced grey-green sandstone with Bathstone dressings, under red tiled roofs.
The N side has a 4-bay clerestorey with paired 2-light windows. The bays are divided by pilasters, but the N bay has been shortened due to the addition of the tower. The N aisle is 3-window with buttresses. Three-light windows with traceried heads. Gabled porch R of centre with double chamfered pointed arch with double planked doors. Hoodmould continues as string course.
Interior
Five-bay nave arcades with round piers on square bases and pointed arches with 2 orders of chamfered mouldings. The W arch of the N aisle contains planked doors leading to tower. Tall chancel arch in similar style on responds consisting of 3 orders of shafts with ringed capitals and bases. Arched brace roof to nave, the principals standing on wall shafts. Two-bay arcades to vestry and chapel beneath large relieving arches similar to nave arcade. Reredos in pink Penarth alabaster containing 3 ornate statue niches with ogee heads. Attached black marble shafts between niches, which contain white marble statues. Sedilia with round columns and pointed arched heads, with pierced circles in the spandrels. Octagonal medieval font, keeling down to a square base. On a C20 square stone base. Organ in SE corner of nave, 1968, by George Pace. Wood fronted pulpit on marble base with blind arches and foliate decoration. Stained glass to E window, 1879, donated by Lord Windsor in memory of Harriet, baroness of Windsor. Probably by Hardman and depicting the crucifixion between Agony in the Garden and Way to Calvary. S aisle window in memory of William Spickett (d. 1939). Late C20 stained glass windows in S Chancel and N and S aisles. W window has stained glass in geometrical design, the traceried heads containing a shield, and with yellow margin glazing. Other windows towards the W end also have stained glass in geometrical design.
At the posted co-ords you will find a stone plaque Erected in ABCD
It was in Memory of a person who died EFth Aug GHJK
Go to N51 3F. (A + E) (C + D) G W003 1K. (C - J) (H - K) (B + A - H)
Please use stealth and return as found.
****************** ********************
For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
****************** *******************