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.
Denbigh is 9km south of St Asaph and 13km north west of Ruthin at the junctions of the A453, the A543, the B4501 and the B5382. The church is set in open country along a minor road 1.6km south east of the town centre in Denbigh Green (also known as Whitchurch).
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 116 Cadw Listing Notice 952
The name/dedication of the church to which the plan refers.
A brief description of the plan. eg. who created it and where it came from.
The date the plan was created.
The details of any copyright are displayed here.
The name of the person who inputted the plan.
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 stands on the site of a C7 cell of St Marchell the Virgin. It was established as the parish church following the construction of the new town and castle by Henry de lacy, Earl of Lincoln at the turn of the C13/c14 and was first mentioned in the Norwich Taxatio of 1291. (The parish churches of both Caernarfon and Ruthin are also situated out of town, both contemporary foundations.) The twin nave structure is a common feature of the Vale of Clwyd churches. The present building, Perpendicular in style is the result of remodelling c1500 which incorporates earlier fabric, particularly in the south chamber. A porch was added in 1722 and light restoration occurred in 1854 with further restorations on 1908 and 1915. The church was externally rendered at one time - hence the name of the area ‘Whitchurch’ as an alternative to Denbigh Green.
Reference Buildings of Wales– Clwyd 2003 Cadw Listing Notice 952
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
This is a medium sized church in the local double nave style with a tall square west tower, it was built with limestone rubble with local red and brown sandstone dressings all of which was characteristic of the C13 and C14 work in the vale of Clwyd. The roof is of medium pitch with slates along with C19 slab-coped gable parapets and moulded kneelers. At the east end of the north chamber is an east gable stone cross. The porch on the southern side with a round arched entrance with ovolo mouldings and an original recessed, studded oak door has a sandstone plaque above the entrance with the inscription ‘RE: RE Wardens, 1722. Repaired 1854, TGE: RR’ (These were the wardens: Robert Price and Robert Evans, and Thomas gold Evans and Robert Roberts. The four-stage west tower has a battlemented top above a plain stringcourse and a flat leaded roof. The base has a chamfered plinth and stepped angle buttresses which support the north west and north east corners. On the south and north faces there are plan sandstone gargoyles.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Clwyd 2003 Cadw Listing Notice 952
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.
This church displays one of the best examples of the double nave church to be found in the area, there is no division between the naves and chancel spaces and above them are fine 10-bay late C15/early C16 hammerbeam roofs. They have moulded principals, purloins and rafters along with crenelated brattishing and octagonal piers to the them wall posts. The hammerbeams correspond to each bay and between there are arch-braced collar trusses, each with fine human and animal carvings above the wall plate. Both chambers are divided by an elegant 5-bay Perpendicular arcade with moulded Tudor arches and a continuous label with large stops carvings at each bay division. These are of animals and shield bearing angels. The stone wall plates have zoomorphic, foliate and heraldic boss carvings.C17 and C18 tombstone slabs with slates form the floors while there is a parquet floor to the central section and side seating area. The font is in the south chamber, it is plain, octagonal, and with tooled limestone, and sits on a chamfered plinth supported by a modern concrete base. It is dated 1640 and has an early C20 oak font cover. Also in the south chamber is the panelled octagonal oak pulpit with a tall panelled back and a sounding board with a cornice. There is a modern organ at the west end of the north chamber. A Perpendicular carved oak screen across both chambers separates the naves form the chancels, it is the work of C Hodgson Fowler, dated 1908, it incorporates tracery head carvings from an early Tudor Rood screen. There is a plain dado with wide Tudor-arched entrances and flanking bays of open tracery, the one on the northern side has a bracketed canopy. Plain, cusped tracery heads with fine vine scroll carvings are surmounted by brattishing to the beam, at each entrance are panelled half-gates with open tracery upper sections and brattishing to the top rails. The chancel in present use is the northern one which has simple Perpendicular oak choir stalls with blind tracery arcading to the front panels. The stepped-up sanctuary has plain early C20 oak rails. The southern chancel also has a stepped-up sanctuary with a finely carved oak altar table dated 1628. This has a strapwork relief-carving to the frieze and bottom rails, the former has angel busts flanking a central angel carving. The tall contemporary altar rails have turned oak balusters supporting an exuberantly-carved vine scroll rail probably part of the original rood screen. A chandelier was, made in 1753 by John Thomas of Chester, it has two six-branch tiers and a dove. There is a benefaction board dates 1720 and a chest dated 1676. In the east window of the northern chamber and in the porch there are fragments of stained glass.
Reference
Buildings of Wales – Clwyd 2003 Cadw Listing Notice 952
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.