St David's Church is on Neath Rd (SA11 4AN) between Resolven and Melin Court. Come off the Resolven Roundabout on the A465 and drive through the village. There is a sharp turn to the right in the village centre and you pass the church hall opposite the Lunch Box Shop. Keep going through the village and the church is on your right. There are no parking facilities here.
St David’s church was built in early Gothic style in 1850 and prior to this date, there is evidence from Saxton’s map of Glamorgan, dated 1576-77, that some sort of chapel existed at nearby Melin Court. When built, it is likely that its position suited the near-by population of Melin Court, as Resolven was only a small hamlet – and it is interesting to note that service books and Bibles associated with the church in 1850 do have “Melincourt Church” embossed on their covers.
In 1869, a fine stained glass window, depicting the Crucifixion with the three Marys in grief together with saints Andrew, Peter, Philip and James, was fixed in the eastern end of the church (J Bell of Bristol)
The ornate carved oak reredos, given in memory of Vicar Thomas’ wife, has panels showing the final acts associated with Jesus in the Gospels: the Resurrection of Christ, his encounter with two disciples on the Road to Emmaus on the same day, and the Ascension of Christ into heaven.
In addition to these scenes there are figures representing St Peter, St Mary the Virgin, St Elizabeth and St John. As in the window at St Cadoc’s Church in the parish, St John appears to be holding a cup from which emerges a dragon-like beast. This may refer to a conversation between John and Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew 20:22, where Jesus asks whether John is able to drink from the same cup of suffering that he himself is going to drink from in his coming crucifixion; or it may be some sort of reference to the images of the devil that John portrays in his Book of Revelation.
Many of the windows in the church trace the life of Jesus from his birth to depictions of his return to earth in the future.
The birth of Jesus
Jesus is named in the Temple with Simeon
Jesus and his mother, Mary
Jesus blesses children
Jesus dies on the Cross
Jesus is raised from the dead
Jesus appears as the risen Lord
Jesus is the Lord of all things
Jesus, the Lamb, sits on heaven’s throne.
When the pews were removed in the 1990s, the church became very open, which gives space to admire the decoration of the chancel and the variety of styles which have been incorporated into the building to enhance our worship : carved oak lectern, pulpit, decorated font lid, modern seasonal wall hangings and pulpit crucifix.
St David's Church was built in 1850 when it was part of the parish of Glyncorrwg with Blaengwrach. It became independent of Glyncorrwg, later joined up with Tonna, but since 2004 it is back in a church grouping with the top of the valley.
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