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 village is 34 km south of Conwy on the A470 some 250km north of Cardiff, the church is in the centre of the village to the south of the A470 set back behind a low rubble wall and surrounded by mature trees.
Reference
AA Route Planner
OS Map 115
Cadw Listing 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.
The church was built about 1500 some 300m away from a much earlier Celtic church site on the hill ‘Bryn y Bedd’. The site was previously part of the Prior of Beddgelert’s domain. The construction was by Meredith ap Ieuan ap Robert of Dolwyddelan castle and Penamnen and Gwydir. According to his grandson Sir John Wynn the change of location was for strategic purposes and the original church was in a ‘thicket’ and vulnerable to attack. A south transept was added in 1590 by Robert Wynn of Plas mawr, Conwy. About 1840 Lord Willoughby de Eresby of Gwydir castle gently restored the church and provided a porch and bellcote and converted the south door into a window.
Buildings of Wales –Gwynedd 2009
Cadw Listings Notice
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
A nave and continuous chancel in very small rectangle with a south transept added about 90 years later. It was built with large, roughly coursed and dressed blocks beneath a roof of thick roughly graded slates probably from Meredith’s house at Penamnen. There is a large Tudor-arched east window with a similar window in the west wall with a contemporary gabled bellcote with an arched bell opening.
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.
A roof of 5 bays of arch-braced trusses, with two tiers of wind-braces. Over the sanctuary is a celure with a grid of ribs and bosses while carved on the north wall plate is an elongated dragon-like creature which has an extra head at its tail end together with wings and a knotted tail. In contrast to the late medieval stonework are two segmental arches in the south arcade on reset monolithic Doric columns which may be Roman. There is a slate floor and in bay three is the remains of a rood screen, probably moved westwards when the south chapel was added. The rood beam has an early C18 balustrade with flat ‘S’ shaped balusters and a candle beam with 14 candle spaces – this might originally have been a west gallery end relocated in C19. There are four primitive fixed benches of early C18 on either side of the central aisle and on one of these is the inscription: ‘Mainge I’r dyla clyw’ (a bench for the hard of hearing). The furnishings are in dark oak: gracefully turned C18 altar rails, a pulpit looking like a small box pew on legs dates from 1711. The font is square and post reformation. The east window contains fragments of medieval glass – the window dating from about 1512 while on the north wall of the chancel ‘St Christopher’ c1512. There are two bells, one for which there is no data, the other a Quadrate bell, now disused.
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.