St Alban – Pontypool

Introduction

St Alban's Church in Pontypool was designed by architect J J Scoles in an economical Neo-Norman style, similar to his earlier designs at St David's, Cardiff.

History

In 1838 there were around 600 Catholics in the town of Pontypool. In 1860 the mission was taken over by the Capuchin Franciscans from Pantasaph, Flintshire. The church was extended to the west with a gallery added, probably in 1881-2, increasing the capacity to 240.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is built of squared coursed brown limestone rubble with a Welsh slate roof, in Neo-Norman style with a nave, apsed sanctuary and north-east entrance porch. The interior is very plain and is plastered and ceiled throughout, with an open roof supported on principal rafter type trusses with collar beam queen struts and curved feet. Ceramics by Adam Kossowski were installed in 1955-6. The church contains coloured ceramic Stations of the Cross and a ceramic crucifix over the entrance to the Lady Chapel by Kossowski.

Stained glass in the apse depicts St Alban, Christ the King, and St Francis and is dedicated to members of the Bradford family. The west window has a painted depiction of the Annunciation and other Marian scenes. Two oil paintings at the west end of the nave depict Capuchin Saints St Leopold Mandic and St Padre Pio.

Music and liturgy

Saint Alban’s choir sang Dona Nobis Pacem a capella after Holy Communion. The clergy processed out of the church to the Recessional Hymn, ‘Christ be our Light’.