St Beuno's Church, Aberffraw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Beuno's Church, Aberffraw |
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A view from the south-east
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| OS grid reference | SH 353 688 |
| Location | Aberffraw, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 7th century |
| Founder(s) | St Beuno |
| Dedication | St Beuno |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 5 April 1971 |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Jones (1840 restoration) Henry Kennedy (1868 rebuilding) |
| Style | Late Decorated |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 30 ft (9.1 m) (nave) |
| Nave width | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Other dimensions | 25 by 16 ft (7.6 by 4.9 m) (chancel) |
| Materials | Rubble masonry dressed with sandstone; 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, Aberffraw is an old church in Anglesey, north Wales. It was first built in the 7th century by St Beuno, a Welsh holy man. This church might have been a special royal chapel for the princes of Gwynedd long ago.
The oldest parts of the church you see today are from the 12th century. It was made much bigger in the 16th century. They added a second main hall (called a nave) next to the first one. The wall between them was replaced with a row of four arches. In 1840, workers found a hidden 12th-century arch in a wall. The church also has a very old font from the 13th century.
St Beuno's is still used for church services today. It is part of the Church in Wales. The church is a "Grade II* listed building". This means it's a very important old building. It's special because it's one of the few churches in Anglesey with two main halls. Experts say it has some of the most important Romanesque (early medieval) artwork on the island.
History of St Beuno's Church
St Beuno's Church is located in Aberffraw. This village is on the south-west coast of Anglesey, in north Wales. The church stands in a large churchyard on Church Street.
The first church here was started in the 7th century. It was founded by St Beuno. He was a Welsh holy man who later became an abbot. No parts of that very first church building remain today. The oldest parts of the current church are from the 12th century. These include parts of the south and west walls.
Some changes were made to the church in the late 1200s or 1300s. The doorway on the south side is from this time. The church became much larger in the 16th century. A second main hall, called an aisle, was built on the north side. A row of four arches was added between the old and new parts.
In 1840, the church was repaired by architect Thomas Jones. During this work, a hidden 12th-century arch was found. It was in the west wall. Some people think it was the original arch leading to the altar area. Others believe it was the entrance to a tower that no longer exists.
More work was done in 1868 by architect Henry Kennedy. The walls of the altar area and north aisle were rebuilt. A porch was added on the south side. A small room for the priest (vestry) was also built.
Aberffraw was once a very important place. It was the main court for the princes of Gwynedd. St Beuno's Church might have been their special royal chapel. Today, it is still an active church. It is part of a group of four churches in the area.
Church Design and Features
The church is built in an old style called Late Decorated. It is made from strong stones. The outside of the west wall has a smooth finish. Each wall has a support structure called a buttress in the middle.
The roofs above the main hall and north aisle are made of slate. They have stone tops. At the west end, between the two roof peaks, there is a stone bellcote. It holds two bells. Both bells were made in 1896. They are hung one above the other. There is a stone cross on top of the bellcote and each roof peak.
You enter St Beuno's through the porch on the south-west side. This leads to an inner doorway with a pointed arch. A room for the priest, built in the 1800s, is in the north-west corner. The main hall (nave) is about 30 feet long and 16 feet wide. The north aisle has similar dimensions. Both have roofs with exposed wooden beams.
The middle section has four arches. These arches are supported by eight-sided pillars. The two arches on the east side lead to the altar area (chancel). This area is slightly smaller than the main hall. The other two arches are on the north side of the main hall.
The 12th-century arch in the west wall is very special. It is decorated with zigzag patterns. It also has the carved heads of 25 rams and bulls. There is no clear wall dividing the main hall from the altar area. However, the area around the altar is raised by two steps. It has a communion rail around it. The floor here has fancy patterned tiles. A decorated screen is placed behind the altar. The altar area in the north aisle also has two steps. Its floor is made of wood. The altar in the north aisle is from the early 1900s. It has a copper picture showing the Last Supper.
The windows in the north and south walls are square. They have two or three sections of glass. These sections are separated by stone dividers. The tops of the windows have fancy stone patterns. These windows were added during Henry Kennedy's work in 1868. The window at the east end of the south wall has three sections. It has fancy patterns and a pointed arch frame. It also has a plain decorative frame around it.
The two windows at the west end have single sections of glass. They are topped with fancy patterns. The windows at the east end have three sections, fancy patterns, and decorative frames. Five of the windows have stained glass art. This includes the main east window. The east window in the north aisle shows the story of the Good Samaritan.
The large, eight-sided font is very old. It dates back to the 13th century. On the south side of the church, there are memorials from the 1700s and 1800s. These remember people like Henry Morris and his sons. The church also has two copper collecting shovels. These were given to the church in 1777.
In 1906, a survey of church items was done. It noted a silver cup (chalice) from 1866–67. It also mentioned a silver plate (paten) given in 1753. Old church records show that a silver cup and other items were lost in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
Churchyard and Importance
The churchyard has special graves. These are for soldiers and sailors who died in World War I. They are looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
St Beuno's Church is a Grade II* listed building. This is the second-highest level of protection for old buildings. It means the church is "particularly important". It was given this status in 1971. It is special because it is a "rare Anglesey example of a double-naved church". This means it has two main halls, which was not common in Anglesey.
Cadw, the Welsh Government body for old buildings, says St Beuno's is mostly from the late Middle Ages. But it still has important parts from a much older building. This includes the "unusually fine 12th-century chancel arch". Cadw also notes that later repairs have respected the church's 16th-century style.
An old writer named Harry Longueville Jones visited in 1846. He said the church had been repaired and changed a lot. He thought the arches inside were similar to other churches nearby. He also praised the "richly ornamented" arch in the west wall.
Another visitor, Sir Stephen Glynne, came in 1848. He felt some parts of the church were "poor". However, Samuel Lewis, writing in 1849, called it an "ancient structure". He liked its two "spacious parallel aisles".
A guide from 2006 says the church has a long history. It is "an interesting one to view". A 2009 guide describes the church as a "wide rectangle". It says the church has "some of the most significant Romanesque work on the island".
