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.
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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.
The town is 20 km west of Machynlleth along the A493 and 30 km south west of Dolgellau via the A470 and then the B4405 alongside Tal-y-llyn lake. The Church lies towards the eastern end of the town on the west side of Corbet square.
References
Route Planner Directions, traffic and maps AA
OS Map (Landranger No 124 and 135)
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.
St Cadfan had a clas monastery here which survived unreformed until the C12, a eulogy written in 1147 compared the building favourable with St David’s and Bangor cathedrals. Also, in the eulogy its author the poet Llywelyn Fardd writes of the ‘glories of Meirionnydd’, with its ‘three magnificent altars famed for miracles’. These were dedicated to ‘The Blessed Virgin Mary, St Peter and St Cadfan’. The present church has an impressive cruciform plan with a crossing tower similar to those found in Llanbadarn Fawr, Llanddewi Brefi and Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, all ancient clas sites in Ceredigion. Unlike them this church has aisle hence the comparison with cathedrals. In 1672 the tower collapsed taking with it the chancel and south transept. The nave remained in use and a fresh tower was built over the crossing in 1736 only to be replaced by John Prichard in his restoration of 1881-4. Harold Hughes added a south porch as a war memorial in 1919 built tin green stone to match his lychgate of 1909. Within the church is an inscribed stone C7 - C9 which has the earliest recorded use of Welsh on a stone, it reads ‘Ceinrwy, the wife of Addian [lies here] alongside Bud [and] Meirchiaw, Cun, the wife of Celyn: grief and loss remain.’ There are also two C14 stone effigies, one of an unnamed priest, the other a knight traditionally believed to be Gruffydd ab Adda of Dolgoch. In medieval times there was a holy well not far from the church famed for its healing powers.
Buildings of Wales – Gwynedd 2009
GAT Historic Churches in the Diocese of Bangor
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
A cruciform church of nave, chancel, south porch and central tower over the crossing. The north transept and tower are built of rubble stone, the south transept ids of snecked stone as are the chancels east and south walls. The roofs are slated, mostly behind coping gables mounted on kneelers, the window have Bath stone dressings.
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.
There is a war memorial in the porch which was built as a War |Memorial to those lost in the Great War, those killed in the Second World war have had their names added. The walls are plaster and nave has a C12 north and south arcades and would have been longer before the tower was added. The medieval roof is of 5-bays with corbelled arched braces, windbraces and added tie beams. At the Crossing are C13 style arches. The chancel roof is a boarded wagon roof with moulded and embattled cornices, here is wood panelling around the walls incorporating blind Gothic arches and delicate tracery part of which dates from 1910. The reredos is integral to the design and has shields bearing passion symbols dated 1908. The C13font is a square monolith with chamfered angles, ogee-curved below a short octagonal ringed shaft. A covered, rather out of keeping with the font was made of oak and added in 1930. An organ is to be found in the south transept housed in an elaborate oak case dating from 1911. The oak lectern of 1883 in Gothic style was by Keith of London 1883. The stained glass: ‘Scenes from the passion and resurrection of Christ’ 1884, W F Dixon; ‘The Virgin Mary with St Peter and St Cadfan’ 1909, Herbert Bryans; ‘The Boy Christ’, 1943, Geoffrey Webb; ‘The Adoration of the Magi’, Geoffrey Webb; ‘Scenes from the Early Life of Christ’, 1900; ‘Christ with Mary Magdalene and Martha’, 1954; ‘Virgin and Child’, 1943, Geoffrey Webb; ‘The Boy Christ’, 1941, J Wippell & Co Ltd; ‘St Matthew, St David and St Cadfan’, 1883, Samuel Evans. There are three bells by Abel Rudhall 1759.
A National Bell Register - George Dawson's Website - Homestead
Stained Glass in Wales
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.