Church of St Dochdwy, Llandough-juxta-Penarth

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00075s
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Llandough
Unitary authority : Vale of Glamorgan
NGR : ST16807327
Site Type (preferred type first) : Medieval - Church
Status : UA Local List (Adopted)

Summary :
The church of Llandough is on a site of considerable antiquity. Excavations in the area immediately to the N revealed a cemetery which may have started in the 4th century and lasted possibly into the 14th century.

The present church was built in 1866 to replace the medieval church which stood immediately to its S, to the W of the churchyard cross. It consists of nave, separate chancel, SE tower, W porch and vestry.

Description :
The church of Llandough is on a site of considerable antiquity. Excavations in the area immediately to the N revealed a cemetery which may have started in the 4th century and lasted possibly into the 14th century (Thomas and Holbrook 1994); this seems to have originated in a Roman villa which was occupied from the 2nd to the 4th century and was itself a development from an Iron Age farmstead (Owen-John 1988).

It is identified as the monastery Sancti Docguinni of the Book of Llandaff (PRN77s; RCAHMW 1976, 17 no 828), and the elaborate Class E pillar cross of late 10th or early 11th century date which stands in the churchyard is certainly compatible with such a status (PRN 76s; RCAHMW 61-2 no 938). In 1173 the church was granted to Tewksbury Abbey (Crouch 1988, 28-31). In 1563 is described as a chapel with burial rights annexed to Leckwith (Prichard 1969, 42).

The present church was built in 1866 to replace the medieval church which stood immediately to its S, to the W of the churchyard cross. The medieval church was described by Glynne (1901, 258-9), who visited it in 1853, as consisting of nave and chancel with a W bellcote; it had by this time been almost wholly rebuilt in 1843 (ex inf incumbent) and it is the 1843 neo-Norman chancel arch, noted by Glynne, which was taken down from the old church and reset slightly heightened between the S aisle and the organ chamber (Thorne 1975, 34). Also preserved from the old church is an early Victorian royal arms and one grave slab, now in the floor of the organ chamber; there is also an 18th century mule chest, which was brought from Cogan Pill (ex inf incumbent).
Evans 1998 GGAT 51 Historic Churches Project

he present church was designed by by S C Fripp of Bristol and consists of nave, separate chancel, SE tower with saddleback roof, W porch and vestry. It has a polychrome interior. Remains of previous church noted in churchyard: Medieval/early 19th century church was on terrace to S of present church; site has been used for grave digging (Evans 1998).

Llandough Church rebuilt on two occasions during the nineteenth century, the first time about 1848, and again in 1865 when the old church was taken down and a new church was built to the east side of the former site. The Norman chancel arch with chevron moulding was removed from the original 12th century church and re-erected at the east end of the southern aisle of the rebuilt church of 1865-6 (Orrin, GR, 2004)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Published and printed

Anon, 1912, Report of 66th annual meeting at Cardiff, Archaeol Cambrensis 6 ser 13, 65-148 (106-7)
Brook, D, 1992, The Early Christian Church east and west of Offas Dyke, in N Edwards and A Lane (eds) The early church in Wales and the West. Oxbow Monog 16, 88
Butler, L A S, 1971, Medieval ecclesiastical architecture in Glamorgan and Gower, in T B Pugh (ed), Glamorgan county history: Volume III, The Middle Ages, 379-415 (381, 384)
Crouch, D, 1988, Llandaff episcopal acta 1140-1287. Cardiff: Cardiff Record Society)
Glynne, S R, 1901, Notes on the older churches in the four Welsh dioceses: Diocese of Llandaff. Glamorgan Archaeol Cambrensis 6 ser 1, 224-78 (258-9)
Green, C A H, 1906-7, Notes on churches in the diocese of Llandaff. 53
Newman, J, 1995, The buildings of Wales: Glamorgan, 37, 38, 39, 95, 378-9
Owen-John, H S, 1988, Llandough: The rescue excavation of a multi-period site near Cardiff, South Glamorgan, in D M Robinson (ed) Biglis Caldicot and Llandough: Three Late Iron Age and Romano-British sites in South-east Wales BAR Brit ser 188, 123-77
Prichard, J T, 1969, The Reformation in the Deanery of Llandaff: A study of changes in its clerical personnel 1534-1609, Morgannwg 13, 5-44
RCAHMW, 1976, An inventory of the ancient monuments in Glamorgan. Vol i part iii: The Early Christian period, 17, 61-2
Thomas, A and Holbrook, N, 1994, Llandough, Archaeology in Wales 34, 66-8
Thorne, R, 1975, Penarth - A history. Risca (33-4)

Documentary and manuscript

GlRO
D/DX/pqc1860Photograph of church before restoration
D/DX/jf 11ndPhotograph of churchyard
P/35/91841Tithe map

NLW
LL/F/3961906Faculty: Reredos, memorial tablet, new window
Parish record 91935-71PCC minutes (Llandough, Leckwith and Cogan)
Parish record 101971-77PCC minutes (Llandough, Leckwith and Cogan)
Parish record 111977-84PCC minutes (Llandough, Leckwith and Cogan)
Parish record 121984-92PCC minutes (Llandough, Leckwith and Cogan)
Parish record 131835-68Churchwardens accounts and vestry minutes (1854-63)
Parish record 151962-71Accounts
Parish record 201907-71Insurance schedules including fire liability and correspondence
Parish record 211968-80Correspondence and papers re furnishings and fittings and restoration of stained glass window

NMR
Kay (various)2 ser VI 1226

Included on Vale of Glamorgan Council's List of County Treasures (Vale of Glamorgan Council).

Sources :
Bowden, R. and Roberts, R. , 2011 , Abandoned Medieval Chapels and Churches in Glamorgan and Gwent
Cadw , Listed Buildings Description
Evans, E M , 1998 , Glamorgan Historic Churches Survey: Churches in the Archdeaconry of Llandaff, Deanery of Penarth & Barry
Evans, E M , 2003 , Early Medieval Ecclesiastical sites in Southeast Wales: Desk based assessment
Orrin, G R , 2004 , Church building and restoration in Victorian Glamorgan
Rees W. , 1950 , Accounts of the Rectory of Cardiff & other possessions of the Abbey of Tewkesbury in Glamorgan, for the year 1449-1450. , South Wales & Monmouth Record Society : 2 : 129-199
The Handley Partnership , HAAbase built heritage assessment system: Buildings at Risk database
Vale of Glamorgan Council , 2007 , Vale of Glamorgan County Treasures: Llandough
Evans EM, 2003-04, GGAT 73 Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Sites Project
EM Evans (1998) GGAT 51/81 Welsh Historic Churches Survey: Glamorgan and Gwent
02/PM Map//Rees W/1932/S Wales & Border in C14th/SE sheet;
01/MM Record Card/OS//1957/ST 17 SE 15/;
06/PM Desc Text//Knowles & Hadcock/1953/Med Relig Houses/p357;
10/MM Photo/GGAT/Lewis W/1981//
05/PM Desc Text//Lloyd JE/1954/Hist of Wales/p206;
09/PM Illust/RCAHM//1980/Glam Invent/;
08/PM Map//Rees W/1951/An Hist Atlas of Wales/plate 27;
04/PM Desc Text//Glynne S/1901/Archaeol Cambrensis/Vol1 6Ser p258-9;
03/PM Desc Text//Green Rev CAH/1907/Notes on Churches/p53 p11;
07/PM Desc Text//Evans CJO/1944/Glam its Hist & Topog/p285;

Events :
GGATE001386 : Early medieval ecclesiastical sites in Southeast Wales desk based assessment (year : 2003)
GGATE002118 : St Dochdwy's Church (year : 2011)
GGATE002101 : Assessment of Abandoned Medieval Chapels and Churches in Glamorgan and Gwent (year : 2011)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 93115
Church in Wales Reference No. 4340 https://churchheritagecymru.org.uk/CHR/ChurchDetails.aspx?id=3990

Compiled date : 12-03-2004
Last updated : 02-10-2025

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October 23, 2026, 1:22 pm

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