St Cynfarwy's Church, Llechgynfarwy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Cynfarwy's Church |
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The church seen from the north-west
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 St Cynfarwy's Church
Location in Anglesey
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| 53°18′07″N 4°25′51″W / 53.30196°N 4.43080°W | |
| OS grid reference | SH 381 810 |
| Location | Llechgynfarwy, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | c. 630 |
| Founder(s) | St Cynfarwy |
| Dedication | St Cynfarwy |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 12 May 1970 |
| Architect(s) | Kennedy & O'Donoghue (1867 rebuilding) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Early Decorated |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 40 ft 3 in (12.3 m) |
| Width | 16 ft 9 in (5.1 m) |
| Materials | Rubble masonry, slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Bodedern with Llanfaethlu |
| Deanery | Llifon and Talybolion |
| Archdeaconry | Bangor |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bangor |
| Province | Province of Wales |
St Cynfarwy's Church is a very old church in Llechgynfarwy, a small village in Anglesey, north Wales. The first church here was started by St Cynfarwy around the year 630. He was a saint from the 7th century, but we don't know much about him. None of the original building from his time is left today.
However, the church we see now has a special baptismal font from the 12th century. This shows that a church has been on this spot for a very long time! The building was changed a lot in 1867.
St Cynfarwy's Church is a Grade II listed building. This means it's a special building that should be protected. It's called a "simple, rural church of Medieval origins." The church is still used for worship by the Church in Wales. It's one of nine churches in a group, though it hasn't had its own priest since 2009.
Contents
Discovering St Cynfarwy's Church History
St Cynfarwy's Church is in a churchyard next to the road. It's in the middle of Llechgynfarwy, a small village in Anglesey, north Wales. The village is in the countryside, about 6 miles (10 km) from Llangefni. Llangefni is the main town in Anglesey. It's also about 10 miles (16 km) from the port of Holyhead.
Early Beginnings: The First Church
A historian from the 1800s, Angharad Llwyd, said that St Cynfarwy built the first church here around 630 AD. We are not sure exactly when the current church was built. Some people think it might be from the 1400s.
We know there was a church here before the 1400s. This is because the church has a baptismal font from the 1100s. Also, church records from 1254 mention a church in this place.
A Time of Change and Rebuilding
In 1349, something sad happened. Many priests, including the one from Llechgynfarwy, died. Historians believe they were victims of a terrible illness called the Black Death. This illness affected many people across Europe.
A small chapel was added to the south side of the church in 1664. Then, in 1867, the church was mostly rebuilt. This work was done by Henry Kennedy, who was an architect for the Diocese of Bangor. Kennedy rebuilt the church "almost from the foundations." This means he changed it so much that it's hard to tell what the older parts looked like.
Before the rebuilding, in 1833, the historian Angharad Llwyd described the church as "spacious and handsome." She said it had parts sticking out on the north and south sides, like a cross. Today, the north side only has a porch, which Kennedy added in 1867.
The Church Today
St Cynfarwy's Church is still an active church. It is part of the Church in Wales. It is one of nine churches in the area that share priests. The church is part of the Diocese of Bangor.
A famous person linked to the church was Owen Humphrey Davies. He was a composer and conductor in the 1800s. He later became a clergyman and was the rector of this church from 1895 until 1898.
Exploring the Church's Design and Features
St Cynfarwy's Church is built in an Early Decorated style. This is a type of medieval architecture. It uses rough rubble masonry stones. These stones are shaped with smoother freestone for details. The roof is made of slate. At the west end, there is a stone bellcote (a small tower for a bell). It is decorated with Tudor roses.
Inside the Church
You enter the church through an arched inner door in the porch. This porch was added in 1867. The door has "ornate hinges," which means they are very decorative. Inside, you step into the nave, which is the main part of the church.
The roof inside was built in the 1800s. You can see the wooden beams. The nave and the chancel (the area near the altar) are connected. They measure about 40 feet (12.3 meters) long and 16 feet (5.1 meters) wide. Two steps lead up into the chancel. The 17th-century chapel is on the south side of the church. You can also see its wooden roof beams. Outside, there are stone buttresses. These supports help hold up the church walls.
Windows and Special Stones
The north wall of the church has a window with two "lights." Lights are sections of a window separated by stone bars called mullions. The south wall has a window with three lights. It is in the Perpendicular style. This window has trefoils (a pattern of three overlapping circles) at the top.
The south wall of the chapel has a two-light window under an arch. Above this window, there is a stone with the date "1664" and the initials "W B." These initials belong to William Bold. He was from a family who owned a large estate nearby.
The east window has two lights and three trefoils in its decorative stone tracery (the stone patterns that hold the glass). It has an arched frame with a hoodmould (a small ledge) on the outside. This east window has beautiful stained glass from around 1860. The glass shows geometric patterns.
In 1937, a survey noted a brass plate near the north nave window. It remembers a gift from Catherine Roberts in the 1700s. She left money for "two old housekeepers of unblemished character."
Ancient Font and Memorials
The church has a very old stone baptismal font from the 1100s. It is about 18 inches (46 cm) across and 13 inches (33 cm) high. The font has a round bowl decorated with four panels. Each panel has a carved saltire cross (an X-shaped cross). One panel is plain. The font sits on a base that was added in the 1800s.
Inside the south chapel, there is a memorial to Helen Bold, who died in 1631. She was the mother of William Bold. This memorial has a large brass plate set in marble. It shows the family tree of the Bold family and their connections to the Tudor dynasty. There are also two simpler memorials from the 1700s on the north wall of the nave.
Church Treasures
In 1906, a survey of church items in the Bangor area mentioned the church's chalice. A chalice is a special cup used in church services. This one is from 1632 and was called "an interesting and very rare example" from the time of King Charles I. It has a mix of old and new styles. It has a six-sided stem with medieval-style carvings. The base shows the Crucifixion. It also has a more modern "feather-like decoration." The chalice has an inscription and a coat of arms. These show that William Bold donated it. It is almost 8 inches (20 cm) high and about 3.25 inches (8.3 cm) across.
The survey also noted a silver paten from the 1800s. A paten is a small plate used with the chalice. This one is eight-sided and has similar engravings to the chalice.
Why St Cynfarwy's Church is Important
St Cynfarwy's Church is a nationally recognized building. It is protected by law because it is a Grade II listed building. This is the lowest of three protection levels. It means the building is "of special interest" and efforts should be made to keep it safe. It was given this status on May 12, 1970. It is listed because it is a "simple, rural church of Medieval origin."
Cadw is the Welsh Government group that looks after Wales's historic buildings. They note that even though the church has some parts from the Middle Ages and the 1600s, it mostly looks like it was built in the 1800s. They describe it as a "simple vernacular building," meaning it's a basic, local style of building.
