St Dona's Church, Llanddona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Dona's Church, Llanddona |
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The church seen from the south
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| OS grid reference | SH 574 808 |
| Location | Llanddona, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 610; present church built in 1873 |
| Dedication | St Dona |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 30 January 1968 |
| Architect(s) | Reverend Peter Jones (1873) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Rubble masonry |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Beaumaris with Llanddona and Llaniestyn |
| Deanery | Tindaethwy and Menai |
| Archdeaconry | Bangor |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bangor |
| Province | Province of Wales |
St Dona's Church is a historic church located in the village of Llanddona, on the island of Anglesey in North Wales. The very first church here was built way back in the year 610! The building you see today was built much later, in 1873. It was designed by the church's leader at the time, Reverend Peter Jones. This newer church still uses some older parts, like a fancy doorway from the 1400s and a bell from the 1600s.
The church is still an active place of worship for the Church in Wales. It is one of seven churches that work together in a larger group. St Dona's Church is also a "Grade II listed building". This means it's a special building that is important to history and should be protected. It's known for its simple design, which is in the style of Gothic Revival architecture.
Contents
History of St Dona's Church
St Dona's Church is found on a steep hill close to the coast on the eastern side of Anglesey. It's about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the main part of Llanddona village. The village itself is named after the church. In Welsh, "llan" used to mean "enclosure" and later came to mean "church". So, Llanddona means "Dona's church".
The church is surrounded by a churchyard. You enter through a special gate called a lychgate, which was built in 1906. This gate has a memorial to Henry Stanley, who was a big supporter of the church.
Early Beginnings and Repairs
According to a historian from the 1800s named Angharad Llwyd, a church was first built here in 610. It was dedicated to St Dona, who was said to have lived near the seashore. Records show that a church was present here in 1254.
In the 1840s, the church needed repairs. One writer from that time, Samuel Lewis, said the inside of St Dona's was in "wretched" condition until a church official helped fix it up. Then, in 1873, the church's leader, Peter Jones, decided to completely rebuild the church based on his own plans.
Current Use and Leadership
Today, St Dona's Church is still used for church services. It is part of the Church in Wales. It works together with six other churches, including those in Beaumaris and Llaniestyn. As of 2012, the church's leader was Reverend Neil Fairlamb.
Church Design and Features
St Dona's Church is built from rough stones, with smoother stones used for details. The roof is made of slate, and there's a stone bell tower at the west end. A stone cross sits at the east end of the roof.
Entrance and Interior
You enter the church through a porch on the south side. This leads to a doorway that dates back to the 1400s. This rounded doorway is decorated with carvings of a bird, a dog, a human face, and a cherub.
Inside, the main part of the church, called the nave, is separated from the chancel (the area near the altar) by a step. The sanctuary, where the altar is, is raised even higher. You can see the wooden beams of the roof from inside.
Windows and Fittings
The window at the east end has three tall sections and is topped with curved shapes. It has stained glass that was added in 1963. This glass shows Jesus in the middle, with St Curig on the left and St Dona on the right. Above them are pictures of a lion, a dove, a lamb, and an eagle. An old stone with the date 1566 is set upside down in the wall above this window. The other windows in the church are simpler and smaller, with unusual opaque glass.
Most of the church's furniture and other items are from the late 1800s. However, the eight-sided font (a basin used for baptisms) is made of stone and might be from the 1300s. The church bell is dated 1647. A survey in 1937 found an 18th-century communion table, a silver plate from 1574, and a silver cup from the 1700s.
Churchyard and Notable Graves
The churchyard around St Dona's Church is a peaceful place. It contains two graves of soldiers who died in wars. These graves are cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
One grave belongs to Hugh Williams, a soldier from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers who died in 1918 during World War I.
The other grave is for Robert W. H. Everett. He was a fighter pilot in the Fleet Air Arm during World War II and died in 1942 when his plane crashed on a nearby beach. Before the war, Everett was a famous jockey. He rode the winning horses in the 1929 Grand National and the 1934 Irish Grand National horse races. In 1941, he was honored for shooting down a German bomber plane.
Why St Dona's Church is Special
St Dona's Church is recognized nationally as a special building. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it has "special interest" and efforts should be made to keep it safe. It received this status on January 30, 1968. It's listed because it's seen as a "simple late 19th-century essay in Gothic revival" style. The Welsh Government body responsible for historic buildings also notes that its "simple character" fits well with its size and location.
