History
The church in Crickadarn was created as a small, rural temple in the 13th century. In the fifteenth and at the beginning of the sixteenth century it was rebuilt, then the porch and anex the tower were added. From the time of the Reformation, the building probably began to decline, so that at the beginning of the 19th century it was already in a very bad condition. The church was renovated twice in the 19th century (in 1867 and in 1895), and again at the beginning of the 20th century.
Architecture
The original church from the 13th century was an aisleless building on a rectangular plan with dimensions of 17.1 x 7 meters, without an externally separated chancel. It was covered above the whole with a gable roof. In the late Middle Ages, a stone and wooden porch was added on the south side of the nave and a tower on the west side, which was equipped in the corner with a turret with a staircase. The tower was placed on a high plinth, and its elevations were divided horizontally with cordon cornices. It was topped with a breastwork with battlement, although without the row of consoles typical of Welsh churches. The porch, on the other hand, was covered with a wooden roof truss, which, thanks to appropriate cutouts, obtained decorative trefoils and quatrefoils facing those entering the church.
Current state
The church in Crickadarn, despite numerous early modern renovations, has retained its medieval body with a magnificent late-Gothic tower, and moreover, a valuable porch with 15th-century wooden elements. There is also one window from the 13th century in the north wall, two south windows from the 14th century and the eastern window from the 15th century. The remaining ones were enlarged or are entirely modern openings.
bibliography:
Salter M., The old parish churches of Mid-Wales, Malvern 1997.
Website britishlistedbuildings.co.uk, Church of St Mary A Grade II* Listed Building in Erwood, Powys.
Website cpat.demon.co.uk, Church of St Mary, Crickadarn.