St Mary's church is located on the south side of Church Road, and is the dominant building in the town. It was erected in 1851-3 in Decorated style to designs of W.G. & E.Habershon to replace the medieval church, demolition of which (in 1852) revealed traces of a Roman building (NPRN 307846).
The church is constructed of tooled stone and ashlar with Welsh slate roof with ashlar coping, decorative kneelers and ballflower ornament at the eaves. The church comprises tall nave, lower chancel, north and south lean-to aisles, south porch and tall three-storey south-east bell tower and spire at the junction of nave and chancel. Flowering tracery is used throughout.
The interior is white painted. It is stately with arch-braced roofs on stone corbels, three-bay nave arcades with steeply-pointed arches on circular piers, and dramatically lofty chancel arch. Fittings include a reredos of c.1883 and a polygonal stone pulpit with red marble shafting, stiff-leaf foliage and figures of the four Doctors of the Church (1890s). Stained glass includes works by Joseph Bell & Son (c.1890), Celtic Studios (1969 & 1990) and some surviving original glass (c.1852).
Sources: extracts from Cadw Listing description; J.Newman, Buildings of Wales: Gwent/Monmouthshire (2000), p.513.

RCAHMW, 31 March 2015

The previous church, consisting of a western tower, nave, south porch and chancel, had been dedicated to St Peter (1733) & St Michael (1852).
source OS495card: ST29SW3)

Associated records:
Churchyard cross (Nprn307845)
Holy well (307846).