St Nidan’s Church, Brynsiencyn

St Nidan’s Church, Brynsiencyn

Date

11 July 2015

Location

Brynsiencyn, Anglesey
SH 48929 67415; 53.18231°N, 4.26217°W

Information

The anglican St Nidan’s Church on the outskirts of Brynsiencyn was built between 1839 and 1843 to supersede the old church about half a mile away in Llanidan. The church is dedicated to the 7th century Welsh saint who was associated with the monastery in Penmon. The original plans included a spire but this was never built and the design of the church, by architect John Welch, proved to be highly controversial at the time. The church belongs to The Church in Wales and is a Grade II listed building.

Further Reading

Old St Nidan’s Church;
Church of St. Nidan (new church) (British Listed Buildings);
St Nidan’s Church (Wikipedia)

St Michael’s Church (Llanfihangel Dinsylwy)

St Michael’s Church (Llanfihangel Dinsylwy)

Date

10 July 2015

Location

Tan-Dinas, Llanddona, Anglesey
SH 58807 81487; 53.31142°N, 4.12071°W

Information

St Michael’s is a former parish church dating back to the 15th century built on the remote site of an earlier church. It is known in Welsh as Llanfihangel Dinsylwy (Mihangel is Welsh for Michael) and is situated below Din Sylwy, a 164 m high, flat-topped limestone hill near Llanddona that is also known as Bwrdd Arthur (Arthur’s Table). Din Sylwy is the location of a hill fort thought to have been created in the Iron Age and re-occupied in Roman times. The church is of a simple two-part plan, consisting of a nave and narrower chancel. It is a Grade II* listed building owned by the Church in Wales and is part of the parish of Beaumaris.

Further Reading

St Michael’s Church (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales);
Church of St Michael, Llanddona (British Listed Buildings)

St Mary and St Nicholas Church, Beaumaris

Viscount Bulkeley Memorial. The high-relief sculpture, situated in the chancel, is by Sir Richard Westmacott (1775-1856) of London, who was in his time Britain’s foremost sculptor of public statues. The inscription on the pedestal reads:

To the memory of him,
whose every action both of
public and private life,
was guided by sound principles
and kindest feelings,
this monument is erected
by his sincerely afflicted widow
Elizabeth Harriet
Viscountess Warren Bulkeley

——————

Thomas James
Viscount Warren Bulkeley
of Cashel, in the county of Tipperary,
in the Kingdom of Ireland;
Lord Lieutenant of
the county of Caernarvon;
Chamberlain and Chancellor
of North Wales;
and hereditary Constable
of Beaumaris Castle;
created an English Peer, May 11th 1784,
by the title of
Baron Bulkeley of Beaumaris;
He was born Decr 12th 1752:
and died June 3rd 1822.

(Westmacott was also the author of the Penrhyn Memorial in St Tegai’s Church in Llandygai.)

Date	25 April 2015
Location	Beaumaris, Anglesey	SH 60441 76152; 53.26393°N, 4.09386°W
Information	The town of Beaumaris was founded in 1296 following Edward I’s conquest of Wales. The church dedicated to Saints Mary and Nicholas was built around 1330 to serve the borough. The chancel is a 15th-century addition. Repairs were undertaken by Bangor architect John Hall (d 1828) in 1825 and restoration work was carried out in 1902 by London-based Gothic Revival architect George Frederick Bodley (1827-1907), who was also engaged in the same year by the 4th Earl of Powis for a major renovation of Powis Castle and Gardens. St Mary and St Nicholas is a parish church of The Church in Wales and is a Grade I listed building. Further Reading Church of SS Mary and Nicholas (British Listed Buildings); St Mary’s and St Nicholas’s Church, Beaumaris (Our Heritage)

Eglwys Sant Peris, Nant Peris

Eglwys Sant Peris

Date	21 February 2015
Location	Nant Peris	SH 60647 58328; 53.10388°N, 4.08300°W
Information	The village of Nant Peris, originally known as Llanberis, lies at the foot of Snowdon at the head of the Llanberis Pass. Peris, a Welsh saint thought to have lived in the 6th century, is said to have settled there and its ancient church is dedicated to him. Parts of the building are thought to date back to the 14th century and it underwent alterations form the 15th to the 17th centuries and was extensively restored in 1848 by diocesan architect Henry Kennedy. Nant Peris was originally the nucleus of the valley’s population but as slate quarrying operations expanded at Dinorwic Quarry, so too did the new town of Llanberis, some 3.5 km to the northwest. To cater for the increase and shift in population, a new church, St Padarn’s, was therefore built in Llanberis by the Assheton Smith family, proprietors of the quarry. This was completed in 1885 and superseded the old church in Nant Peris. Eglwys Sant Peris belongs to the Church in Wales and is a Grade II* listed building.

Vision in Grey

Watch Vision in Grey on YouTube

Eglwys Sant Tysilio

Eglwys Sant Tysilio

Date	8 November 2014 (Feast day of Saint Tysilio)
Location	Church Island, Menai Bridge	SH 55181 71768; 53.22315°N, 4.17067°W
Information	The seventh-century Welsh saint Tysilio, or Sulio, was the second son of Brochwel Ysgithrog, King of Powys. He turned his back on the royal court and military service, opting instead for a religious life and later became an abbot. He is believed to have founded a hermitage on Church Island (Ynys Tysilio) in the Menai Strait. He also built churches in Meifod, Powys and Saint-Suliac, Brittany – the latter being the place to where he fled after refusing to marry his brother Cynan’s widow and succeed to the throne of Powys; it is also where he ended his days in 640. Church Island is now accessed by a short causeway from Belgian Promenade in Menai Bridge. The churchyard covers the whole of the one-hectare island and the present church, which is still in use, was built in the 15th century and was restored at the end of the 19th century. Eglwys Sant Tysilio was a parish church until 1858 and was formerly a chapel of ease of St Mary’s Church in Llanfairpwllgwyngyll. Further Reading Tysilio (Wikipedia); Church of Saint Tysilio (angleseychurches.co.uk)

 

St Julitta’s Church, Capel Curig

St Julitta’s Church

Date	18 October 2014
Location	Capel Curig	SH 71839 57967; 53.10344°N, 3.91579°W
Information	The village of Capel Curig took its name from the chapel there dedicated to Curig Llwyd – Curig the Blessed, 6th-century Bishop of Llanbadarn. The original chapel would have been of timber construction and this was replaced by a stone-built edifice in the 13th century which was extended around 1500. In medieval times the chapel belonged to the Priory of Beddgelert with it later becoming part of the parish of Llandegai. In Norman times the Welsh Curig was displaced by St Curig, or Cyriacus, the 4th-century three-year-old boy martyr from Iconium (now Konya in present-day Turkey). In 1837 alterations were carried out by George Hay Dawkins Pennant, second cousin of the first Baron Penrhyn of Penrhyn in the county of Louth and father-in-law of the first Baron Penrhyn of Llandygai. Rectangular windows, a new entrance and bellcote were added and the interior was plastered with the medieval roof beams being covered by a barrel-vaulted ceiling. Telford’s A5 London-to-Holyhead route passes through the village and with the increasing numbers of visitors in the 19th century the church became too small to serve the congregational needs. In 1883 a new church, designed by architect Goronwy Owen, opened on the main road. This became St Curig’s Church* and the dedication of the original was changed to Julitta, mother of the boy martyr. Further renovation work was carried out on Julitta’s in the 1950s and it was deconsecrated in the 1970s. It is now in the care of the charity The Friends of St Julitta’s, who leased the building from the Church in Wales in 1998 and who carried out additional restoration of the church, the smallest in Snowdonia, from 2001 to 2004. [*St Curig’s Church is now a B&B and bunkhouse run by Lady Alice Douglas, daughter of David Harrington Angus Douglas, 12th Marquess of Queensberry. The building was deconsecrated in 1992 and was acquired by the current owner in 1998.]

 

Arafa Don / Bethesda Independent Chapel

Arafa Don (Capel Bethesda)

Date	26 September 2014
Location	Bethesda	SH 62323 66702; 53.17954°N, 4.06158°W
Information	The town of Bethesda, which had previously been known as Glanogwen, took its name from the Congregationalist place of worship built on the High Street around 1820-23 by the Welsh Independent nonconformists. Biblical references, especially those from the Old Testament, were very popular as chapel names with the Nonconformists, Bethesda being Hebrew for House of Mercy. The chapel was rebuilt in 1840 and renovated in 1872-75. It received a Grade II listing in 1988, but, disused, it later fell into a state of disrepair. In 1996, Gwynedd Council granted planning permission for the conversion of the building into 12 flats for the elderly. The 1875 façade was retained with the interior being rebuilt. This North Wales Housing Association residential complex opened in 1998 and was renamed Arafa Don, in honour of Abersytwth-born composer Richard Samuel Hughes (1855 – 1893) who served as organist at the chapel. Arafa Don was one this ‘Welsh Schubert’s most celebrated works. Further Reading Capel Bethesda (British Listed Buildings)

 

St Michael’s Old Church, Betws-y-Coed

St Michael’s Old Church, Betws-y-Coed

Date	2 August 2014
Location	Betws-y-Coed	SH 79578 56538; 53.09241°N, 3.79971°W
Information	The Grade II* listed St Michael’s Church, dating back to the 14th century and situated on the banks of the Afon Conwy, is the oldest building in Betws-y-Coed. Three huge yew trees in its churchyard are thought to be around 1000 years old and the church stands on the site of the original ‘Betws’ (prayer house) that gave the village its name. Thomas Telford put Betws-y-Coed on the map by including it in his mail route from London to Holyhead. The scenic village’s popularity as a tourist destination saw a marked increase once his A5 road through the village opened in the 1820s. The church subsequently became too small to serve the needs of the community and it was therefore enlarged when it was rebuilt in 1843. A further surge in the numbers of visitors came with the opening in 1868 of the LNWR railway station in the village. A second, larger church — St Mary’s — was therefore built in 1873 as a replacement. During the 20th century the use of St Michael’s declined and by the 1990s the building had fallen into a state of disrepair. It was declared redundant in 1996, but was not de-consecrated — at least two services are still held there annually. The building is leased from the Church in Wales by the charity Friends of St Michael’s, which was founded in 1994 and which has been responsible for its restoration. Further Reading Friends of St Michael’s

 

Christ Church, Glanogwen, Bethesda

Christ Church, Glanogwen, Bethesda

Date	28 June 2014
Location	Bethesda	SH 62562 66747; 53.18000°N, 4.05803°W
Information	Christ Church, Bethesda was built in 1855-56 by Edward Gordon Douglas-Pennant (1800-1886), owner of Penrhyn Quarry and who, in 1866, became the 1st Baron Penrhyn of Llandegai. This Anglican church was designed by London-based architect Thomas Henry Wyatt (1807-1880), second cousin once removed of Pennant’s Agent, James Wyatt. The church was restored in 1906 and received a Grade II listing in 1997. Further Reading Christ Church, Bethesda (British Listed Buildings)

 

St Margaret’s Church, Bodelwyddan

St Margaret’s Church, Bodelwyddan

Date	26 May 2014
Location	Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire	SJ 00409 75476; 53.26688°N, 3.49467°W
Information	Church in Wales’ St Margaret’s Church, also known as the ‘Marble Church’, was designed by architect John Gibson and was constructed from 1856 to 1860. The project cost £60,000 and was funded by Margaret, daughter of Sir John Williams of Bodelwyddan Castle, in memory of her husband, Warwickshire baron Lord Willoughby de Broke, who died in 1852. The church was built in local limestone and its interior features pillars and flooring of various types of marble from several different countries. In the church’s cemetery there are 116 military graves: 33 British and 83 Canadian. The Canadian service personnel buried there were from the nearby Kinmel Park Camp and most of those perished in the 1918/19 Spanish flu pandemic. Four graves, however, belong to soldiers killed in a two-day riot that broke out in March 1919. According to official figures, five people lost their lives in the uprising, although it is suspected that many more may have been killed. Around 17,000 Canadian troops were stationed at the transit camp for many months following the end of World War I. Poor conditions and the long delays led to growing unrest amongst the ranks, with the revolt being sparked when it came to light that ships that had been reserved to transport the troops back home to Canada were being used for other purposes. Further Reading Marble Church, Bodelwyddan (Wikipedia); 90 year mystery of soldier riots (BBC News)

 

Eglwys Garmon Sant, Betws Garmon

Eglwys Garmon Sant

Date	25 January 2014
Location	Betws Garmon	SH 53575 57587; 53.09533°N, 4.18821°W
Information	The Anglican church at Betws Garmon was dedicated to the Welsh saint Garmon, traditionally identified with Saint Germanus of Auxerre (c 378-448) who visited Britain around 429, shortly after the Roman withdrawal. The church was rebuilt in 1841-42 by George Alexander. The building, which is Grade II listed, was transferred to the Church in Wales in 1933. Acknowledgement: grateful thanks are due to Rebecca Rabjohns, Estates Officer of The Representative Body of the Church in Wales, for kindly providing some of the historical data.

 

St Edwen’s Church (Llanedwen Parish Church)

Grave of the 4th and 5th Marquesses of Anglesey, Llanedwen Parish Church

Date	12 October 2013
Location	Llanedwen, Anglesey	SH 51733 68234; 53.19046°N, 4.22062°W
Information	St Edwen, daughter or niece of St Edwin, King of Northumbria, founded the church at Llanedwen in 640. The original building was demolished and rebuilt by architect Henry Kennedy in 1856. The Church in Wales church stands on land belonging to the Plas Newydd estate and received a Grade II listing in 1998. St Edwen’s Church, Llanedwen (Wikipedia)

 

St Tegai’s Church, Llandygai

St Tegai's Church

Date	29 February 2012
Location	Llandygai, Gwynedd	SH 60079 70986; 53.21744°N, 4.09701°W
Information	Llandygai, located just outside the boundary walls of the grounds of Penrhyn Castle, was developed by the Penrhyn family in the 18th century as a model village for its estate workers. St Tegai had established a church there in the 6th century and the present building dates back to the 14th century. The church was restored and extended in 1853 by diocesan architect Henry Kennedy. Inside the church there is a marble monument to Richard Pennant, first Baron Penrhyn, and in the churchyard is the tomb of Benjamin Wyatt, Pennant’s agent for the Penrhyn estate. St Tegai’s Church (The Church in Wales); St Tegai’s Church, Llandegai (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales)

Churchyard of St Llechid’s Church, Llanllechid

Cross, towards Moel y Ci

Date	21 January 2012
Location	Llanllechid, Gwynedd	SH 62223 68720; 53.19764°N, 4.06395°W
Information	The Grade II listed church in Llanllechid — dedicated to Llechid, a sixth-century female Welsh saint — was built in 1844 at a cost of around £2500 to replace an earlier church dating back to the late 15th century which stood nearby. The newer church was constructed in a neo-Norman style from local granite and limestone and is an early example of the work of diocesan architect Henry Kennedy. The design was controversial at the time and met with some criticism. Although the churchyard is still owned by The Church In Wales, the church itself was closed around 2002 and in October 2010 Gwynedd Council conditionally approved plans to convert it into a three-bedroom dwelling. A Topographical Dictionary of Wales, Samuel Lewis, 1849 (British History Online); St Llechid’s Church (Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales)

St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol

Tramline embedded in the church grounds

Date	30 May 2011
Location	Redcliffe Way, Bristol	ST 59110 72295; 51.44815°N, 2.58979°W
Information	On Good Friday 11 April 1941 this tramline was thrown over the adjoining houses by a high explosive bomb which fell on Redcliffe Hill. It is left to remind us how narrowly the church escaped destruction in the war 1939-45. St Mary Redcliffe parish church dates back to the early 12th century and its construction carried on through to the 15th century. The stained glass windows are Victorian. With an 89 m spire, the church is the tallest building in Bristol. St Mary Redcliffe (Wikipedia)

Penmon Priory and St Seiriol’s Church, Penmon, Anglesey

Penmon Priory

Date	25 September 2010
Location	Penmon, Anglesey	SH 63042 80706	53.30552°N, 4.05685°W
Further Information	Saint Seiriol founded a monastic community at Penmon in the sixth century. The stone church was originally built in the 12th century. In the 13th century the priory re-organised under the Augustinian order and the refectory was built and additions to the church undertaken. The priory was dissolved in 1537 under Henry VIII but the church continued in use and was largely rebuilt in 1855. Holy Penmon (anglesey-history.co.uk) Penmon Priory (castlewales.com)

Llangelynnin Church – Church of St Celynin, Conwy

Llangelynnin Church

Date	23 January 2010
Location	Llangelynnin Church, Conwy	SH 75122 73728	53.245824°N, 3.872933°W
Further information	Wikipedia