Behind the Scenes at Llangua Church

ABOUT THIS EVENT
Built in old red sandstone, with a charming timbered bellcote, St James’s, Llangua nestles into a bend in the River Monnow, in the Monmouthshire countryside. The church closed in 2020 in precarious condition, with its magnificent medieval wagon roofs in danger of collapse. But this year the Friends of Friendless Churches are repairing St James’s, with the support of grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) and the Garfield Weston Foundation. When work is complete, St James’s will once again be open to visit and enjoy year-round, and available to use for events, community activities and occasional services.   

To rescue this wonderful church, the FoFC is repairing its historic roof timbers using traditional carpentry techniques and carefully introducing new steel work where necessary to help support the stone-tiled roof. We’ll also re-lay the roof, taking care to protect the rare mosses that live on the tiles, and repoint the walls using lime. Inside the church, we’ll repair the ceiling and furnishings, and protect the walls with a new coat of lime plaster.  

Visitors can see work in progress and meet the team at our open day this autumn. Including tours, talks and a building skills demonstration, this is a unique opportunity to get under the roof tiles and behind the scenes of the FoFC’s repair project. 

THIS EVENT IS NOW FULLY BOOKED
If you have any questions before the event, please get in touch.   
E: maggie@fofc.org.uk T: 0204 520 4458 

PROGRAMME
Morning visit
Parking shuttle
10.00 Site opens: welcome and sign-in 
10.10 Introduction and safety on site
10.25 - 10.45 History and archaeology at St James's - Ross Cook FSA, archaeologist 
10.55 - 11.15 Repairing St James's - Andrew Faulkner RIBA AABC, architect 
11.25 - 12.25 Site tour with Jones & Fraser, contractors
Includes:
Traditional building materials and repair techniques – working with lime  
Scaffold access to see roof structure and work in progress
12.30 Refreshments and informal Q&A
13.00 Event finish. Parking shuttle.

Afternoon visit
Parking shuttle
14.00 Site opens: welcome and sign-in 
14.10 Introduction and safety on site
14.25 - 14.45 History and archaeology at St James's - Ross Cook FSA, archaeologist
14.55 - 15.15 Repairing St James's - Andrew Faulkner RIBA AABC, architect 
15.25 - 16.25 Site tour with Jones & Fraser, contactors
Includes:
Traditional building materials and repair techniques – working with lime  
Scaffold access to see roof structure and work in progress
16.30 Refreshments and informal Q&A
17.00 Event finish. Parking shuttle.

EVENT INFORMATION
Location and Access: St James’s, Llangua, Monmouthshire, NP7 8HD.  Access to the church is on foot down a gently sloping grass and gravel drive, with steps into the churchyard, and into the church itself.  There are uneven surfaces in the church and churchyard. Visitors who wish to can climb the scaffold to view the roof – access is via a staircase with shallow treads (not a ladder). There is a large railed standing area on the scaffold at roof level.  We regret that this part of the event is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility difficulties. 

Visiting safely: Please be aware that St James’s is currently a working building site. Visitors should wear substantial footwear – boots or stout shoes. Please note that open-toed shoes are not permitted on site. Visitors will be asked to put on PPE (personal protective equipment – hi-viz, hard hat) during their visit. This will be provided by the FoFC. All PPE is sanitised prior to and after use. 

The church stands close to the River Monnow which lies just outside the churchyard wall. Visitors are responsible for supervising any children that they have with them. 

Activities on the day will take place inside and outside the church, and on the scaffold, which is sheeted in and has a temporary roof. Please dress for the weather forecast and carry water and sun protection if the day is hot, as facilities on site are limited. Seating will be limited. 

Facilities: There are temporary toilets (M and F portaloos) available on site. 

Catering: Hot and cold drinks will be available, but there is no other catering at this event. Visitors are welcome to bring their own refreshments. 

Dogs: No dogs are permitted on site during the event, except for assistance dogs. 

Parking: Please note there is NO PARKING available at the church. (Visitors are also asked NOT TO PARK on road verges near the church as it is unsafe to do so.)

We are providing a free shuttle bus for visitors at this event.
Visitor parking is at Ewyas Harold Memorial Hall car park, Pontrilas Road, Ewyas Harold, HR2 0EL. (This is just off the A465 road between Abergavenny and Hereford, and a short distance from Llangua.) The bus will take visitors to the church and return them to the car park at the end of the event.
We will circulate full details before the event to all visitors attending.

By rail:   
The closest railway stations are Abergavenny or Hereford (then a c15 minute taxi ride to St James’s). 

Photography: Please be aware that photographs and film will be taken throughout the open day. These may be used by the Friends of Friendless Churches for marketing and publicity. If you have any concerns or if you do not wish to appear in photographs, footage or audio, please inform the event team when you arrive.  

You can read the FoFC’s event booking Terms & Conditions here.