St Cadoc's Church
In the Book of Llan Dâv, probably written at some time between 1120 and 1140, the ecclesia de Lancaddoc Kellenny [ie Llangattock Lingoed: see Parish Name] was assessed at 5d. (the lowest level). (REFERENCE 1)
A little later, the church is listed as one of those claimed by the abbey of Le Mans as a result of a grant by Hamelin de Ballon, the first lord of Abergavenny, but is called sancti Cadoci de Machalevin, a name that occurs nowhere else.
In 1253 Pope Innocent XXII gave the First Fruits and Tenths of all Ecclesiastical Benefices to Henry III for three years, which occasioned a taxation (The Norwich Taxation) in the following year. In these returns the Eccl de Lancadock was valued at £2-13s-4d and the vicarage (i.e. returns from the vicar's land) at £1-0s-0d. Of the neighbouring parishes, the Eccl. de Crukorn' (Llanfihangel Crucorney) was valued at the same level (vicarage £1-10s-0d), the Eccl de Linwerthin (Llanfetherine) at £4-0s-0d, and the Eccl Grossi Montio (Grosmont) at £6-13s-4d (vicarage £2-6s-0d).
In 1288 Pope Nicholas IV granted the Tenths of all Ecclesiastical Benefices to Edward I for six years, towards defraying the cost of a crusade. The valuations (in 1291) were £4-0s-0d for the Ecc Lancadoc Kellenny, £5-6s-8d for the Ecc Sci Michio Kilcornii (Llanfihangel Crucorney), £6-0s-0d for the Ecc de Lanwetheryn and £10-0s-0d for the Ecc. de Grosso Monte (vicarage £5-0s-0d). For this latter date there is also a valuation for the Ecc Lantoyloc Creffenury cu capella Ponres (Llantilio Crossenny) at £13-6s-8d. It is clear that from an early date Llangattock Lingoed was amongst the poorest parishes in the area. (REFERENCE 2 )
The rectory of St Cadoc was in the possession of the Benedictine Priory at Abergavenny. During the Hundred Years War with France, the affairs of the "alien" priory were taken into the hands of the king. Several presentations to the living were made in this period, as follows: 30 June 1349, John ap David "of Lankadok, chaplain to the vicarage of the church of Lankadock Ekelleni"; 28 January 1388, "William Mounsell to the vicarage of Lankadok Lynquad"; 24 November 1397 Lewis ap David, "vicar of Wormebrigge in the diocese of Hereford, to the vicarage of Lancattok in Kyllenny . . . on an exchange with John Wetemore" (REFERENCE 3 ).
There is a letter from Pope Sixtus VI, dated 1484, granting to "Lewis Jonys, rector of the parish church of Llangattock (sancti Cadoci) by Berg[av]enny in the diocese of Llandaff, bachelor of decrees", "dispensation to receive and retain for life any benefice with or without cure wont to be held by secular clerks, even if a parish church, etc. and to resign it, etc." "Literarum scientia, vite etc." (REFERENCE 4 )
Through the Act of Supremacy in 1534 Henry VIII declared himself the head of the Church in England. He also passed a law so that all taxes on Church income were paid to the Crown (not the Pope). Henry commissioned the Valor Ecclesiasticus so he would know how much wealth the Church had in England and Wales - and that he could later claim. The information was used to decide which monasteries should be closed. The dissolution of the monasteries started in 1536 and their assets went to the Crown. This extensive survey was commonly known as "the King’s Book". The entry for St Cadoc's gives the vicar as Richard ap David Howel.
In 1548 a survey of chantries states that in the parish of Langattoycke Kelenyk "there is within the said parish in the tenure of Richard ap Richard one aker of medow gyven for to be praid for in the pulpett, valewid at the yearly rent of vi d". (REFERENCE 5 )
Patronage of the living passed to the Crown and the following presentations are recorded: 12 August 1556, "Griffin Williams to the vicarage of Llangattocke Genelygge"; 3 October 1558, "Edmund Williams to the vicarage of Llangattock Gelennyng" (REFERENCE 6 ).
A survey of the diocese of Llandaff in 1563 names Edmund James as the vicar: "Llangattoke Klennyke beyng a paroch' churche and Edmond Johns clerke vicare there and is resydent upon his vicarage." He was also the curate at Llanvetherine. (REFERENCE 7 )
A survey of 1603 illustrates the continuing interest of the Crown in Church finances: "Langattock Clennig vicaria. The impropriation belongeth to the Kings Majestie receaving only xviii d. yearly from the vicars. And all other Profitts thereof goe unto the vicars, which have bene alwaies held with the vicarige, the whole being worth yearly xxvi li. xiii s. iiii d." (REFERENCE 8 ) This would have been in the time of Thomas Morris, whose name first appears in a deed of 1602; his will was written in 1640 and proved in 1650. Before 1649 Thomas Williams was deprived by the puritans, but lived to be restored. Thereafter, the dates of incumbency of rectors is well documented; those of the curates who often served in their stead, less so.
In 1763 John Ecton listed the church as follows among those "which ... were lately discharged from any Payments to those revenues [ie First Fruits and Tenths], on Account of the Smallness of their Income": (REFERENCE 9 )
Kings Books
Livings remaining in Charge
Yearly Tenths
£55-06-05½
Langottage-Gleming V. St. Cadocus
Patron: Priory of Abergavenny
Proprietor: The Prince of Wales£00-10-07¼
Clear Yearly Values
Livings Disharged
Yearly Tenths
£45-00-00
Llangattock-Llingoed V. St. Cadocus
Patron: Priory of Abergavenny
Proprietor: The Prince of Wales£00-00-00
Rectors/Vicars 1668 William Powell 1676 William Lloyd 1680 Thomas Evans 1711 Rowland Parry 1755 William Morgan 1761 William Watkins 1767 John Rowland 1777 James Evans 1780 William Morgan (MEMORIAL) 1828 Henry Rodney 1863 John Price (MEMORIAL) 1875 James Wheeler Osman 1883 Owen Bowen Price 1894 George Beynon Jones 1915 L.W. Richards 1918 John Griffiths 1923 Henry L. Jukes 1925 William Phillips 1934 Evan Henry Maddock 1939 E.H. Griffiths 1949 Joshua Aurelius 1962 W.H. Lewis 1967 John E. Douglas 1971 C.M. Hewlett 1975 Ellis J. Connor 1981 David H. Williams 1986 Donald Pope 1998 Stephen Lodwick 2001 Brian Ireson 2002 T.H. Ambrose Mason
Curates 1714 John Watkins 1744 Samuel Morris 1758 Delahay Reece 1759 William Watkins 1760 Thomas Morris 1763 Morgan Williams 1765 Thomas Richards 1769 William Morgan 1788 Roger Davies 1800 James George 1819 Tudor Price 1823 - Gabb c.1828 Edmund Davies 1829 John Price 1852 A.H. Smith 1854 A.H. Mourse 1862 Edmund Davis 1873 Henry B. Hare 1949 A. Lancaster Osman 2001 Jean Blamire Prosser There are also some references in the parish registers to churchwardens and to others in the Churchwarden's books.
Churchwardens 1712 William Lewis 1719 Henry Philip 1719 Thomas Evans 1745 William Thomas 1746 John Lewis
Churchwardens' book 1820 Order of precedence:
6. John Hughes and C . . . Hill
12. John Powell and Abraham . . . [Williams]Charities
Bradney lists two charities associated with the parish. (1) In his will dated May 1728 Charles Morgan provided for the distribution of 40s. to the poor not receiving alms and 40s. to four poor housekeepers at Easter, to be charged on his fee-farm lands in the parish. (2) Mrs Elizabeth Prichard (date not stated) left 20s. per annum for the poor charged on a house and piece of land. An Archdeaconry report of 1813 notes that: "There are four pounds a year given to the poor of the parish charged on freehold lands in Llantilio Crossenny by the late Charles Morgan, esqr, and ten shillings a year given to the poor by a Mrs Elizabeth Prichard charged on a house and piece of land in Llangattock Lingoed".The first of these seems to have fallen into abeyance, but the second still exists - or at least the house (now ruined) and land (further details of the Stocks Charity).
1. J.G. Evans and J. Rhys (eds), Liber Landavensis. The Text of the Book of Llan Dâv, Oxford, 1893 (p.320)
2. Taxatio Ecclesiastica Angliae et Walliae Auctoritate P. Nicholai IV
3. Calendars of Patent Rolls, Edward III 1348-1350, Richard II 1385-1389 and 1396-1399
4. Catholic Church, Calendar of entries in the Papal registers relating to Great Britain and Ireland, vol. 13, p.850
5. Madeleine Gray, The last days of the Chantries and Shrines of Monmouthshire, Journal of Welsh Ecclesiastical History, 8 (p.36)
6. Calendars of Patent Rolls, Philip and Mary 1555-1557 and 1557-1558
7. Madelaine Gray, The diocese of Llandaff in 1563, Journal of Welsh Religious History, 2 (p. 76)
8. Madeleine Gray, The Church in Gwent in 1603, Journal of Welsh Ecclesiastical History, 2 (p.17)
9. John Ecton, Thesaurus Rerum Ecclesiasticarum, Being an Account of the Valuations of all the Ecclesiastical Benefices in England and Wales, London, 1763 (pp.510-11)