Rhug facts for kids
Rhug (pronounced 'Reeg') is a small area in Wales, near the town of Corwen in Denbighshire. It's close to the River Dee and sits below the Berwyn range mountains. Long ago, around the year 1150, Rhug was led by someone called the Maer Du, which means "Black Mayor". Later, it became part of the lands owned by the powerful Barons of Edeirnion, who lived in Gwerclas Castle.
A Look Back: Rhug's Past
The area of Rhug included a place called Aber Alwen, where the main house of Rhug was located. An interesting story from history tells us that King Gruffudd ap Cynan was staying at Rhug in 1080. Sadly, he was tricked by a person named Meirion Goch.
Two powerful earls, Hugh Lupus and Hugh of Salop, heard the king was at Rhug. They pretended to visit him, but they had a secret plan. Meirion Goch convinced King Gruffudd to meet them with only a few guards. The king didn't know it was a trap! He was captured and taken to Chester Castle, where he was held for twelve years. His guards were also taken, treated badly, and had their right thumbs cut off before being set free.
It's also believed that Owain Brogyntyn, another important leader, lived at Rhug. The leadership of Rhug then passed down through his family. Later, a lady named Margaret Wen, who was the only daughter and heir of the Lord of Rhug, married Piers Salusbury.
Rhug Chapel: A Hidden Gem
Rhug Chapel is a very special place. It was built in 1637 by Colonel William Salusbury, also known as "Old Blue Stockings." He was a brave soldier who fought for the King during the English Civil War. Later, he became a writer and was known for his strong religious beliefs.
Colonel Salusbury worked with Bishop William Morgan to build this private chapel. It was dedicated to The Holy Trinity. From the outside, the chapel looks quite simple and plain. It's a small stone building with a simple main room. There's a wooden door at the front and another door on the side for the minister. A single bell hangs above the front door.
The chapel is located in a lovely wooded area, a short distance from a busy road. Since 1990, it has been looked after by Cadw, which is the Welsh Government's historic environment service.
When you first see the chapel, you might think it's as plain inside as it is outside. But that's not true at all! When you step through the heavy oak front door, you enter a tiny porch. From there, a wooden staircase leads up to a gallery. If you go up the stairs, you'll get an amazing view of the chapel's interior.
The inside is incredibly ornate and richly decorated, a complete surprise compared to the outside. The ceiling is beautifully decorated with twisting rose patterns. The wall panels are intricately carved and painted, and there are elaborately carved and painted angels on the walls. Their colors are still bright and clear today.
A low, sturdy screen separates the main part of the chapel from the altar area. Each window has bright stained glass, showing different pictures from different times. The pews, which are the long benches for people to sit on, are made of oak. What's unusual is that the ends of the pews have huge, scalloped oak carvings of animals and birds. Large chandeliers hang from the roof, providing light.
On the north wall, there's a large painting called a "memento mori." It shows a skeleton and is meant to remind people that everyone will eventually pass away. Most of the chapel's interior, including the pews and decorations, is original, even after many changes in religious practices over the centuries. Only the altar and the tiled floor around it were added later, in the late 1800s or early 1900s.
Outside the chapel, there's an old stone pillar that looks like a market cross, even though the chapel was built much later than most such crosses. To the north of the front door, there's a circular iron fence protecting memorial stones for the Wynn family. Inside the chapel, there's a memorial to Robert Vaughan, who helped restore the chapel in the 1800s. He made sure to keep its original look and feel. In 1854, Vaughan updated the outside bell tower and windows, but he left the beautiful interior mostly untouched. He did make the pews wider and added backs to them, but he matched the new parts to the old style.
Images for kids
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Rhug solid timber pew ends
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Rhug East Window
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Rhug window
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Rhug Ancient Cross
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Rhug Chapel
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Rhug Wynn family memorials
