Fabric

The church is simple in plan consisting of a square‑ended 3‑bay chancel, a 4‑bay nave which is wide but unaisled, a west tower which forms the present entry and a south vestry.

The earliest phase is represented by the 12th century chancel arch, reckoned to be the finest example of Norman Romanesque in the county. The primary walls of the nave which lean outwards to a considerable degree are probably contemporary with the chancel arch, but all details have been lost and none of the original openings survive. Blocked doorways in the north and south walls may mark original entrances. The earliest chancel, which is certainly not the present one, may have been apsidal ended, since this was a common feature in Cluniac churches of similar size and status.

The nave walls were supported by the addition of an outer skin, possibly in the 13th century. This skin perpetuated the north and south nave doorways, which still continued in use. The chancel may have been rebuilt in its present form at this time, though detail is obscured by 19th century restoration. The doorway from the chancel into the vestry has a 19th century surround, but, from the inside of the vestry, is set within a convincingly mediaeval opening. This may have provided ground floor access to the east range of the priory. Other external and internal detail indicate that there may also have been a stairway from the chancel giving access, via a timber gallery, to the dormitory on the first floor of the east range of the priory.

There is an indication of another blocked doorway beneath the westernmost window of the south wall of the nave. This is difficult to explain but may be the result of a westward extension to the conventual buildings of the priory, necessitating a new south door.

The tower was in all probability a 14th century addition, in common with many south‑west Wales churches. The west tower door appears to be contemporary with the tower and marks the point at which the main south and north entrances to the church were blocked. Internally, the ground floor of the tower carries a segmental barrel vault. Access to the upper floors is obtained by a stone spiral staircase, external to the tower. A half landing and other features may indicate the former existence of a ground floor upper chamber (or 'Galilee') but there is no evidence of a light into any such chamber. The first floor, or 'silence chamber' was formerly two storeys, the uppermost reached via a doorway, now blocked, from the spiral stair.

The extent of any later mediaeval alterations to the church is uncertain. The westernmost window in the north wall of the chancel has a square‑headed surround of late 16th early 17th century date set into a lower and narrower embrasure, similar to the embrasures of the nave windows. These may represent some adaption to the perpendicular style of the late mediaeval period, but if so, all detail was removed in 19th century restoration.

Following the dissolution of the Priory in the 15th century, the church continued in use as the Parish church. Some modifications would have been necessary to the south wall of the nave and chancel as the Priory buildings fell into decay, but the detail is obscured by 19th century restoration. By the early 17th century at least, the Priory buildings were reduced to walls recorded as standing some two or three feet above the ground. The church itself, in common with many others in the late 17th to the earlier 19th centuries, suffered from periods of neglect. In 1674, the church was 'not altogether in good repair'; in 1680 the roof fell in and in 1705 the roof had become 'decayed by reason of ye late storm' and the windows also damaged. The floors 'were not well‑paved'. By 1717, the roof and windows were still 'out of repair'. The roof fell in again in 1740.

By the 1850s the church was again dilapidated and the Vicar, Rev. John Evans reported that it needed a new roof, windows and pews. The work was undertaken 1854‑5, thanks to the generosity of Timothy Powell of Penycoed and a grant from the Incorporated Church Building Society. The Society rejected the plans of the original architect, Charles Davies, and the well known R. K. Penson was called in to provide new designs. During this restoration, new windows were inserted into the nave, and the roof and pews replaced. In 1884, during the incumbency of the Rev'd Pugh, the work was completed by the restoration of the chancel under the guidance of the architect J Middleton, at a cost of £350. The vestry was added at this stage.

The Interior

The font is probably 12th or 13th century in origin, a witness to the early parochial functions of the church. An Elizabethan chalice, now lost, carried an inscription "1574 + POCYLVM X ECLESIE X DE X SANCKLER X" (chalice (of) the church of St Clears).

Many of the present fittings and fixtures date from the ministry of Charles Frederick Owen 1895‑1914, an indefatigable and effective fund raiser for many improvements to the church. These included a new reredos, pulpit, lectern, the building of the organ loft and organ, repair of windows, insertion of new stained glass windows, the ornamentation (subsequently removed) of the chancel arch, and the refurbishment of the pews. Taking over a draughty church which was poorly lit by flickering candles, Owen was also responsible for the introduction of acetylene lighting fed from a gas house in the churchyard.

The church contains many interesting memorials. The earliest, in a recess on the south side of the chancel is the one to Timothy Powell, a vicar of St Clears who, the inscription records 'in the year of Trial 1691 was deprived of all that he could not keep with a safe conscience" ‑ a reference to his being deprived by Act of Parliament of his 'living' for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy.

There are several memorials which, in addition to their inscriptions, are of interest because of their identification with known sculptors. Their initials or names can be found on the base or sides of the tablets. Amongst the 18th century memorials on the north wall of the aisle, there is the 1780 tablet to the Chapman family by John Maliphant of Kidwelly (1731‑1836) and the one to Thomas Rees (1785) by William Paty of Bristol (1758‑1800). William was the son of Thomas Paty (1713‑1789), described in his lifetime as 'generally one of the best carvers in England either in wood or in stone'. Other signed memorials are to Catherine Lewis (1857) by Philip Rogers and Son, Swansea and two memorials by the well‑known Bristol sculptors, Henry Wood (senior) and Henry Wood (Junior), to Catherine and Thomas Rees (1814), to Hugh Leach (1820), and to Thomas Westcott (1861).

No early painted or stained glass survives: all such windows are 19th or 20th century. Their dedications are nevertheless of value and interest to the history of St Clears and as with the other memorials, careful scrutiny can reveal the artist or manufacturer. Two windows in the chancel are signed by Charles Powell of Highgate, London ‑ Rev. C. F. Owen (1914) and to Timothy and Margaret Powell of Penycoed (1925). The three east windows dedicated to Thomas Bowen Rees, born in St Clears, but of Smyrna, Asia Minor (the modem Izmir, Turkey), and unveiled in 1901, were designed and manufactured by Mayer and Co., Munich, as can be seen on the lower part of the central window: the cost was £140.

The Bells

In the late 17th century, there were three bells, including a presumably mediaeval bell with the inscription "Sancta Caterina ora pro nobis" (Saint Catherine pray for us). Another bell, with the same inscription, had cracked in 1680. This had borne the inscription "Margaret Silvies": by tradition, three sisters of that surname had given the three bells to the tower. At the time of the mid‑19th century restoration, the bells were melted down and four new bells cast from the earlier ones. In 1969 the bells were recast again by the John Taylor foundry, Loughborough. Two bells were added and an 'electrical' ringing system introduced.

Outside the Church

The graveyard contains many interesting inscriptions and examples of the local masons' skills. One tombstone in the north western area of the churchyard is a reminder of the maritime associations of St Clears through a poignant commemoration to one William Thomas, "who died at sea after unparalled suffering for 15 days aboard the wreck of the waterlogged ship Jane Lowdon of Padstow on the 7th January 1866 in the 21st year of his age".  It is said that Lady Drummond, a sister of James 1, is interred here; but there is not even an "unknown stone with two letters" to mark where she may rest.

Built into the wall at the entrance to the church is an ancient cross, described in the 17th century as one of three 'Popish' crosses existing at that time in St Clears, including one in the churchyard.

The handsome lychgate, a fine structure in Gothic style, was designed by Messrs George M Hammer & Co. of Bermondsay, London, paid for by Miss E Phillips, of the Kieffe, St Clears, and erected in 1911 in memory of her brother who died in South America. The timber is of solid English oak, roofed with terracotta tiles and stands on walls of dressed Pendine stone. The lychgate was promoted by the Rev C F Owen, who was also responsible for securing the building of the Vicarage opposite the Church, 1901‑2.

Funding

Restoration and additions to fabric and property of the Church have taken place continually throughout its history, as has the need to find funding to undertake this activity.  Heating and lighting systems have improved in the past century. A new organ was installed in the fifties. 

St Mary's is now able to extend a warm welcome to everyone who wishes to come.  Last year the heating problem was finally resolved, and we now have a nice warm church.  Many fund raising efforts were held including gift days, strawberry teas, baked potato morning, concerts, flower festival.  Although the heating is up and running, as a congregation we can not sit on our laurels.  The church is an expensive building to maintain and services are getting more expensive to run, and the administration of the church is always a drain.  Lately we have had a St Mary's Market, the local motor cross donate all the gate takings to our church, and some people have been very generous, and given us some substantial sums of money.  At the moment we do not have a fund raiser organised, but I'm sure that as soon as our new vicar, Reverend Brian Witt settles in we will be back on track

If you feel able to support our continuing efforts in any way, please contact the churchwardens or treasurer.