Church of St Denys, Lisvane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Denys, Lisvane |
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| 51°32′26″N 3°10′02″W / 51.5406°N 3.1672°W | |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Saint Isan |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 28 January 1963 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | stone |
| Bells | 3 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Llandaff |
The Church of St Denys is an Anglican church located in Lisvane, a suburb of Cardiff. While the church has a very old history, most of the building you see today was built in the 1800s.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name "Denys" might sound like Saint Denis, the famous patron saint of Paris. However, for this church, "Denys" is actually a local version of "Dionysius." This was the Latin name used by Saint Isan, who is also honored at St Isan's Church nearby.
A Look Back: Early History
It's not clear exactly when the Church of St Denys was first built. Experts think it might be from around the same time as St Isan's Church in Llanishen. This would mean it was founded around the 6th century. We also don't know who started the church here. Some people guess it might have been monks or a powerful landowner. But there's no old evidence to prove this.
The very first church building was probably made from materials that didn't last long. This was common back then. Stone churches became more popular later, especially during the Norman period. At that time, St Denys was a small "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church that helped people who lived far from the main church, which was St Mary's in Cardiff. Cardiff was a separate town back then.
Changes Over Time: Later Rebuilds
Most of the church building we see today was built in the 14th century. Over the years, the church started to fall apart. By the 1840s, it was almost ruined, and very few people attended services.
Lisvane began to grow in the late 1800s. After 1861, the church started to get better as Lisvane became a richer suburb. In 1878, people decided to fix up the church. It was completely renovated by an architect named Edwin Seward. More changes were made in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1979, the whole building was reorganized and made bigger. The altar was moved, and the choir was placed where the old sanctuary used to be.
Only a few parts of the building are left from the original Norman period. These are the walls of the tower and the doorway on the south side.
Important Status: Listing
The Church of St Denys was given a special status in 1963. It became a Grade II* Listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
