St Ceinwen's Church, Llangeinwen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Ceinwen's Church, Llangeinwen |
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The East window of St Ceinwen's Church
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| 53°10′00″N 4°20′08″W / 53.16656°N 4.33554°W | |
| Location | Llangeinwen |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Ceinwen |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bangor |
| Province | Province of Wales |
St Ceinwen's Church is a very old church located in Llangeinwen, a village in north Wales. It is considered a special building because it is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is an important historic building that needs to be protected. The church is about 1.5 kilometers (just under a mile) away from another church called St Mary's Church, Llanfair-yn-y-Cwmwd.
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A Look at the Church's History
St Ceinwen's Church has a long and interesting past. It was named after St Ceinwen, who was a Welsh saint. The church is found inside a churchyard, which is a fenced area, on the northwest side of the main road, the A4080. It is about 800 meters (half a mile) west of the village of Dwyran.
Who Founded the Church?
According to Cadw, which is the Welsh government's group for historic places, St Ceinwen's Church was founded by two sisters. Their names were Ceinwen and Dwynwen. They also started another church on nearby Llanddwyn Island, which is now in ruins. It's quite unusual for churches to be named after their founders, but both of these churches were.
How Old is the Building?
The church building you see today in Llangeinwen is very old. Parts of it date back to the 12th century, which means it's over 800 years old! People have been using this church continuously since then.
- 12th Century: The main walls of the nave (the central part of the church where people sit) on the north and south sides are from this time.
- Medieval Period: The walls of the chancel (the area near the altar) were built during the Middle Ages.
- 19th Century: A north chapel was added, and the church tower was built during the 1800s.
Ancient Stones and Features
You can find some very old gravestones built into the church's buttresses (supports on the outside walls). These gravestones are from the 9th and 11th centuries, making them over 900 years old! Inside, there's a beautiful stone font (a basin for baptisms) that was made in the 13th century. There's also a doorway on the north wall of the nave that was built in the 12th century, but it is now blocked up. The brass chandeliers hanging inside the church are from the early 1800s.
What Makes St Ceinwen's Church Special?
This church is special not just because it's old, but also because of its history and the people who built and used it. Being a Grade II* listed building means it has special importance. It helps us understand what life was like many centuries ago in Wales. It also shows how people built churches and what kind of art and design they used.
