The name or dedication of the church.
This identifies the church type. Most churches are parish churches which means they serve a specific parish or area. Other types such as chapel, daughter and mission are mostly historic designations as many are now also parish churches. Please note that former churches are no longer used for worhsip and may be in private ownership.
A unique identification number given to every church.
The name of the diocese in which the church is located.
The name of the archdeaconry in which the church is located.
This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.
Please enter a number
There are 3 levels of listing: Grade I, II* & II. The majority of buildings which are of special interest are Grade II. A much smaller number of particularly important buildings are listed as Grade II*. Buildings of exceptional interest (approx 2% of the total number of listed buildings) are Grade I.
Ancient monuments and archaeological remains of national importance are protected by law. Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service is responsible for compiling a schedule (list) of these ancient monuments, some of which can be found in churches and churchyards. Examples can include churchyard crosses and the archaeological remains of previous churches or buildings on the site.
There are three National Parks in Wales: Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons. These protect 20 percent of the land in Wales, including precious landscapes, habitats, villages and heritage sites.
There are over 500 conservation areas in Wales. They are designated by local planning authorities for their special architectural and historic interest.
The Buildings at Risk register is managed by Cadw (the Welsh Government’s historic environment service) in order to identify the number and type of listed buildings at risk in Wales.
It is often extremely difficult to determine a precise date of construction for a church as many have been extensively altered over time. Church Heritage Cymru therefore shows a date range within which a church is believed to have been constructed. The dates are as follows: Early Medieval (pre 1066), Medieval (post 1066 to 1540), Post Medieval (1540 to 1837), Victorian/Pre WWI (1837 to 1914) and Modern (post 1914).
This is a very brief summary of the church's main features. More detailed nformation can be found in the other fields and pages (tabs) in this database.
Useful information is displayed here for people wishing to visit the church. This may include things like opening hours, catering & toilet facilities, parking, etc.
If the church has its own website the details will be displayed here.
Any further sources of information for the church will be listed here (eg. links to other historic databases).
This is the Ordnance Survey (OS) reference for the location of the church. Some locations will be approximate as this data is continuously being refined and updated.
This is the name of the Local Authoirity within which the church is located.
This describes how the church relates to its immediate and wider environment, sometimes called its setting. It describes how the church contributes to its landscape or townscape and how these things collectively contribute to the character of the area.
Beddgelert is situated in the heart of Snowdonia some 20 km south east of Caernarfon via the A4085 and 12 km north of Porthmadog along the A498. The church is in the heart of the village below the confluence of the Afon Glaslyn and the Afon Gwyrfai.
References
Route Planner Directions, traffic and maps AA
The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales
Cadw Listings Notice
This is a description of the ground plan of the church.
If known, the dimensions (measurements) of the church ground plan will be displayed here.
If the footrprint (area) of the church is known, it will be displayed here.
A description of the history and archaeology of the church and its site.
This is a clas site and the home of a pre-Conquest group of Celtic Monks, Gerald of Wales visited and shortly afterwards the buildings were taken over by the Augustian Order of Monks. Nothing remains of the monastic buildings which were subject to several fires and appeals by the bishops of Bangor for funds to repair them. The buildings were much knocked about by the Edwardian Conquest of North Wales in 1282/3. Anian, then Bishop of Bangor described the house as the most senior monastery in all of wales save that of Bardsey. In the Taxatio ecclesiastica of 1291 the Priory had three granges and a value of £7 4s 2d. Further damaged by the wars between Owain Glyndŵr and the English Kings the Priory struggled on to the Dissolution in 1535 when it had a value of £70 3s 8d after which it became the village church.
Restoration took place: firstly in 1611 when a place for the erection of seat below the choir was grants; in 1630 repairs were made to a ‘ruin’ church and in the C18 a door was inserted into the north wall subsequently converted into a window; in 1847 the south walls of the nave and chancel were extensively rebuilt destroying the medieval doors and windows; Kennedy did more work in 1880; and the roof was repaired in the late C19.
Buildings of Wales – Gwynedd 2009
Abbeys & Priories of Medieval Wales Janet Burton and Kate Stöber 2015
GAT Historic Churches in the Diocese of Bangor
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church is a continuous nave and chancel with a modern north transept and bell turret at the west end – dating from Kennedy’s restoration, built of random rubble stone with C19 sandstone dressings. The roof has been renewed with slate probably in the late C19. The porch is gabled with a surmounting cross
Bangor GAT Historic Churches in the Diocese of Bangor
Information about any noteable architects, artists, people, or events associated with the church.
Information about any important features and building fabric.
If known, a list of the church's major building material/s will be displayed here.
Any renewable energy systems the church is using will be listed here.
This section gives a general description of the interior of the church. Further details of any important internal fixtures and fittings will be listed below.
The very tall triple lancet windows in the east end have been considered to be ‘possibly the finest architectural feature in the whole of Snowdonia.’ The reveals are splayed inside with two chamfered orders on the outside made with Anglesey gritstone.
Inside is to be found a stone-flagged floor with late C19 pitch pine pews on wooden plinths. The five-bay roof has queen post trusses with simple pointed arches to the centre formed by curved bracing, the plain tie-beams sit on double-curved stone wall corbels formed by the curved bracing. The chancel is stepped up from the nave, it has a polychromed, tiled pavement tiled pavement of conjoined octagons to the centre. The sanctuary is further stepped up which a polychromed pavement. There is oak dado panelling and flanking the windows are carved sections similar to the rood screen, that to the left dated 1918 and to the right 1908. The crocketed finials have carved figures of the Blessed Virgin Mary (L) and St David (R ).
The C20 rood screen is in oak using a C14 Decorated style. The central sections have C19 carvings depicting Evangelist symbols. Two carved and partially gilded angels flank the central doors. There is a Lierne-vaulted canopy with a complex Rood beam and above is a large Rood group with carved gilded figures above a tripartite canopy niche, in the centre is the seated Christ with attendant angel figures.
The altar table is C19 in simple English style, the altar is in a similar style to the rood screen. The font is strange being a curiously hollowed out polished stone just 30cm across incised in Iolo Morganwg’s Bardic characters on a base inscribed with an C8 Nennius alphabet. It is dated 1882 but might possibly be older.
The stained-glass windows: ’Scenes from the Life of Christ’ 1887, ‘Christ the Good Shepherd and Christ the Light of the World’ 1920 John Hardman & Co (designed by Dunstan Powell, and ‘Virgin and Child with St David’ 1968 Trena Cox.
The bell is by John Taylor & Co 1937.
Stained Glass in Wales
A National Bell Register - George Dawson's Website - Homestead
Information about the church's important internal fixtures and fittings.
Information about the church's important moveable items and artworks.
A description of the ecology of the churchyard.
Information about the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.
Records whether the church has been consecrated.
Records whether there have been burials in the churchyard.
Records whether the churchyard is still being used for burials.
Records whether there are any war graves in the churchyard.
Any important churchyard structures will be listed here.
Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the relationship of the church to its surrounding area and helps place it within its wider landscape context.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the significance of the historic building fabric of the church.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the historic significance of the interior of the church.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the relationship between the church and its community.