St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden |
|
|---|---|
St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden, from the southeast
|
|
| OS grid reference | SJ 315,659 |
| Location | Hawarden, Flintshire |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | St Deiniol's Church Hawarden |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Deiniol |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 2 July 1962 |
| Architect(s) | James Harrison, Sir George Gilbert Scott, Douglas and Fordham, Douglas and Minshull |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1909 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Borderlands Mission Area |
| Archdeaconry | Wrexham |
| Diocese | St Asaph |
| Province | Church in Wales |
St Deiniol's Church is a beautiful old church located in the village of Hawarden, Flintshire, in Wales. It's the main church for the local area, known as a parish church. This church has special connections to a famous former Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone, and his family. Because of its importance, the building is protected as a Grade II* listed building by Cadw, which is like saying it's a very important historical site.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: History of the Church
The history of this church goes back at least 1,000 years! We know this because the list of its rectors (the main priests) starts in the year 1180.
Fires and Rebuilding
In the mid-1800s, the church was worked on by an architect named James Harrison around 1855–56. But sadly, on October 29, 1857, a fire started on purpose badly damaged the church. Luckily, some parts, like the stained glass and wooden pieces at the east end, were saved.
The church was quickly rebuilt by a famous architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott, and was finished by the end of 1859. This kind of rebuilding is often called a "Victorian restoration."
New Additions Over the Years
Over time, more parts were added to the church:
- In 1896, a porch was built. It was designed by a company of architects from Chester called Douglas & Fordham.
- The same company, later known as Douglas & Minshull, designed the Gladstone Memorial Chapel. This special chapel was built between 1901 and 1903 at the east end of the north aisle. It honors the Gladstone family.
- Between 1908 and 1909, new vestries (rooms used by the clergy and choir) were added to the northeast side of the church.
Exploring the Church: Architecture
Outside the Church
The church has a main area called the nave, with side sections called north and south aisles. There's also a chancel (the area around the altar), a south porch, and other porches and vestries.
- The Gladstone Memorial Chapel is at the east end of the north aisle. It has a unique three-sided shape called an apse.
- The Whitley Chapel is at the east end of the south aisle.
- A tall tower stands in the middle of the church, over the eastern part of the nave. It's built in a style called Perpendicular Gothic and has a short, lead-covered spire on top.
- The church is not "cruciform," which means it doesn't have parts sticking out like the arms of a cross (called transepts).
Inside the Church
Inside, you'll find many interesting features:
- Seating and Water Basins: In the chancel, there's a special seat called a sedilia, which is from 1846 but might be a restored older piece. At the east end of the north aisle, there's an ogee-headed piscina, which is a basin used for washing sacred vessels.
- Font and Altar Area: The font, where baptisms take place, was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The reredos, a decorated screen behind the altar, was also likely designed by Scott. It shows the Last Supper scene. The choir stalls, where the choir sits, survived the fire and are from Harrison's earlier restoration.
- Rood and Pulpit: A large cross structure called a rood was added in 1915–16. It was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott and remembers William Glynne Charles Gladstone. The pulpit, where sermons are given, was designed around 1951 by H. S. Goodhart-Rendel in a style similar to Christopher Wren's work.
- Wall Paintings and Crosses: In 1884, Edward Frampton created wall paintings in the south aisle, but most of them have disappeared, with only two small pieces remaining. The processional cross and the churchwardens' staves (staffs carried by church officials) were designed by George Frederick Bodley.
Stained Glass Windows
Many of the beautiful stained glass windows in the church are memorials to the Glynne and Gladstone families.
- Three windows in the chancel aisle from the 1850s were made by William Wailes.
- Five other windows have glass designed by Edward Frampton, including one dedicated to his own wife.
- The large west window was made by Morris & Co. in 1898. It was the last stained glass window designed by the famous artist Edward Burne-Jones and shows a Nativity scene (the birth of Jesus).
- The east window was also made by Morris & Co. in 1907, reusing an earlier design by Burne-Jones.
- Other glass in the church was made by artists like Henry Holiday, F. C. Eden, and Haswall.
Gladstone Memorial Chapel
This chapel holds a grand monument to William Ewart Gladstone and his wife, Catherine. It was designed by Sir William Richmond and finished in 1906. The monument features sculptures of the couple lying down, made of white Carrara marble, with an angel forming a canopy above them. The base of the tomb is made of a different type of marble with figures and panels made of silvered bronze. The altar cross and candlesticks in the chapel were also designed by Richmond, as was the stained glass, which was made by James Powell and Sons.
Other Monuments and a Model
The oldest monument in the church dates back to 1722. There's also a monument to Sir Stephen Glynne (who died in 1874), which includes a statue of him lying down. Another special tablet, made of alabaster and mosaic, remembers William Henry Gladstone (who died in 1891). H. S. Goodhart-Rendel designed other tablets for members of the Gladstone family.
Inside the church, you can also see a very detailed model of the church itself! It's a 1/48 scale model, meaning it's 48 times smaller than the real church. It was built over several years by local people: Robert Rowlands, Louis Sharkie, and Richard Williams.
Outside the Church: External Features
In the churchyard, you'll find a few interesting things:
- A baluster sundial, which tells time using the sun.
- A memorial from the early 1900s for the South African War, likely designed by Douglas and Minshull.
- The south gates to the churchyard, from 1877, were designed by John Douglas.
- To the northwest of the church is a lychgate, designed by Sir Herbert Baker in 1929. A lychgate is a covered gateway to a churchyard, often used for sheltering coffins before a burial. This one has a pyramid-shaped roof.
The churchyard is also the resting place for 57 service personnel who died in wars. Nine are from World War I and 48 (mostly from the Royal Air Force) are from World War II. Among those buried from World War I is the politician William Glynne Charles Gladstone, who was the grandson of Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. He was killed in action in 1915.
See also
