1. The disused church of St Thomas was located within a yard used as a cemetery on the east side of Commercial Road at its junction with Bluett Road. It was built in Lancet style in 1831-2 to designs of architect Edward Haycock. It was constructed of local sandstone and consisted of a high-sided five-bay nave intended for galleries, and a box-like chancel, all under a single roof with west bell-cote, and a gabled porch on west gable wall.
Stained glass - removed in 1995 to the church-cum-hall on Bluett Road (NPRN 307480) - was by F.W.Cole for William Morris & Co of Westminster.

Source: J.Newman, Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire (2000), p.108.

RCAHMW, 3 March 2015

2. The church of St Thomas was situated on the east side of Commercial Road at its junction with Bluett's Road, in the centre of Talywain, standing in an extensive rectangular rubble walled churchyard once used as a cemetery. It was built in the 'Commissioners Gothic' or 'lancet' style in 1831-2 by Edward Haycock of Shrewsbury. It was built in response to a growing population of newly arrived workers to service the nearby British Ironworks (NPRN 85082) which opened in 1823, and nearby collieries. It was consecrated on 10/11/1832 as a chapel-of-ease for Pontypool, becoming a parish in its own right in 1844. The church was reseated in 1869, restored in 1974 and became disused in 2004. In 2011 it was boarded up.
The church was constructed of squared coursed limestone with ashlar dressings (the west front is rendered), and a Welsh slate roof with kneelers. It is a Iarge rectangular barn-like church with nave and small chancel under a single roof, diagonal corner butresses, gabled west bellcote and small gabled porch on the west end wall also with kneelers and diagonal corner buttresses. The nave is of five bays with the bays divided by pilaster buttresses with off-sets. Each bay has a lancet window with dripmould above. The chancel had a triple Early English window.
The interior has been stripped out apart from the west gallery which has a panelled front and is supported on two slim cast iron columns. The under gallery was divided into rooms with a light timber and glass front in c.1960. Surviving features include the chancel arch, chamfered and four-centred; a moulded plaster cornice; and five beams on corbelled brackets support the flat ceiling.
Sources:
Cadw Listing description.
Google Street View, May 2011.

RCAHMW, 23 November 2015