St Beuno's Church, Trefdraeth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Beuno's Church, Trefdraeth |
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View from the south, showing the transept and porch
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| OS grid reference | SH408704 |
| Location | Trefdraeth, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, UK |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | First church reputedly established c. 616; earliest parts of present building 13th century |
| Dedication | St Beuno |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 30 January 1968 |
| Style | Decorated |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 59 feet (18 m) |
| Width | 15 feet (4.6 m) |
| Materials | Rubble masonry and squared stones; slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Trefdraeth with Aberffraw with Llangadwaladr with Cerrigceinwen |
| Deanery | Malltraeth |
| Archdeaconry | Bangor |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bangor |
| Province | Province of Wales |
St Beuno's Church, Trefdraeth is an old church in Trefdraeth, a small village in Anglesey, north Wales. People say the first church here was built around the year 616. However, the oldest parts of the church you see today are from the 1200s. Over the years, the church has been changed and added to, but it still keeps its simple, old design.
This church is part of the Church in Wales. It is still used for services. St Beuno's is a special building because it is a "Grade II* listed building". This means it is a very important building with a lot of history.
Contents
History of St Beuno's Church
St Beuno's Church is located in Trefdraeth, a small village in the southwest of Anglesey. It stands in a circular llan. A llan is a Welsh word for an enclosed piece of land, often around a church. The church is named after Beuno, a Welsh saint from the 600s. Many churches in north Wales are named after him.
How Old is the Church?
A historian from the 1800s, Angharad Llwyd, wrote that the first church on this spot was built around 616. But no parts of that very old building are left today. Over time, repairs and changes have removed much of the early history.
The oldest parts of the church we see now, like the main hall (called the nave) and the area around the altar (called the chancel), were built in the 1200s. More changes and additions were made in the centuries that followed.
Changes Over Time
- In the late 1200s or early 1300s, a side room or chapel (called a transept) was added to the south side of the church.
- The small tower for the bell (called a bellcote) on the roof was added in the 1300s.
- The entrance porch on the south side was built around 1500. Its roof was repaired in 1725.
- A new doorway was put in the north wall in the late 1400s or early 1500s. This now leads to a small room (a vestry) added in the 1800s.
- Much of the main roof was built in the 1600s.
- Some repairs were done in the 1840s and 1854. This was a time when many other churches were rebuilt, but St Beuno's kept its original look.
Church Community and Leaders
St Beuno's is one of four churches in a group called a benefice. This means they share a priest and work together. The other churches in this group include St Beuno's, Aberffraw and St Cadwaladr's, Llangadwaladr. The church is part of the Diocese of Bangor. As of 2013, the churches in this group did not have a full-time priest.
Over the years, many important religious leaders have worked at St Beuno's. For example, Henry Rowlands, who became the Bishop of Bangor, was once the rector (main priest) here. Other notable people, like Griffith Williams and Robert Morgan, who also became bishops, served at this church.
Church Design and Features
St Beuno's Church is built in a style called Decorated Gothic. It is mostly made from rough stones (called rubble masonry). Smoother, squared stones were used in some parts. The church has strong supports on the outside walls called buttresses. The roof is covered with special hexagonal (six-sided) slates. A stone bellcote sits on the west end of the roof.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church is one long space. There is no wall separating the main hall (nave) from the altar area (chancel), just a step up. The nave and chancel together are about 59 feet (18 meters) long. The church is about 15 feet (4.6 meters) wide. Near the eastern end, there is a side chapel (transept) on the south side. It is separated by a step down and an archway.
Windows and Doors
The windows in the church are from different time periods, from the late 1300s to the 1800s.
- The oldest window is at the east end of the chancel. It has three sections separated by stone bars (called mullions). The stained glass in this window shows the Crucifixion of Jesus and was added in 1907.
- Another old window from around 1500 is in the north wall of the nave.
- The transept has a window from the 1800s. It contains some of the oldest stained glass in the church, with pieces from the 1400s showing a crucifixion scene.
You enter the church through a porch on the south side. Inside, near the south door, there are two old slate plaques from the 1700s. They list people who gave money to help the poor in the village. Another slate plaque from the 1600s remembers Hugh ap Richard Lewis and his wife Jane. The wooden beams of the roof are visible inside.
Special Features
- Font: The round stone font, used for baptisms, is very old, from the 1100s. It has six decorated panels. Four panels show diagonal crosses (called saltires). One panel has a Celtic cross with a ring and knotwork. The last panel is plain.
- Other Items: The church also has communion rails from the early 1700s and a wooden communion table from 1731. The wooden cover for the font is dated 1714. There are also old memorials, including a stone slab from the early 1300s.
- Church Silver: A survey in 1937 noted three silver items: a cup from 1610-1611, a plate (paten) from 1719, and a jug (flagon) from 1743.
- Outside: Outside, there is a brass sundial from the 1700s on a stone stand. There is also a decorated stone on the lychgate (a covered churchyard gate), which might be from the 900s.
- Pulpit: The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, was made in 1920 in the Arts and Crafts Movement style.
Churchyard and War Graves
The churchyard around St Beuno's is a peaceful place. It contains the graves of two soldiers from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. One soldier was from the Royal Engineers and died in World War I. The other was from the Royal Pioneer Corps and died in World War II.
Why St Beuno's Church is Important
St Beuno's Church is a very important historical building. It is a "Grade II* listed building", which is the second-highest level of protection in Wales. This means it is a "particularly important building of more than special interest." It got this status on January 30, 1968. It is special because it is a great example of a medieval (Middle Ages) church in the countryside.
Cadw, the Welsh government body that protects old buildings, notes that the church's simple design was not changed much during the 1800s. This was a time when many other churches in Anglesey were rebuilt or heavily repaired.
What People Have Said About the Church
- In 1833, historian Angharad Llwyd called the church a "small neat edifice" (a small, tidy building). She also noted that its parish records, which started in 1550, were among the oldest in north Wales.
- Another writer, Samuel Lewis, in the 1800s, described it as a "small plain edifice" that could hold almost 300 people.
- In 1846, a clergyman named Harry Longueville Jones said the church was in "good condition" and had been repaired well. He thought it was one of the best churches on the island of Anglesey.
- Sir Stephen Glynne, a Welsh politician and church historian, visited in 1849. He noticed the new slate roof and the large churchyard with great views.
- A guide to Anglesey churches from 2006 described St Beuno's as being in a "pleasant and quiet rural location." It also mentioned the roof's "unusual ornately-shaped slates."
Images for kids
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View from the south, showing the transept and porch
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The west end and north vestry during repair work in 2008
