St Edwen's Church, Llanedwen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Edwen's Church, Llanedwen |
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The north side of St Edwen's
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| OS grid reference | SH 517 682 |
| Location | Llanedwen, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| Website | Parish website |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 640; current building 1856 |
| Founder(s) | St Edwen |
| Dedication | St Edwen |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 23 April 1998 |
| Architect(s) | Henry Kennedy |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Late Decorated |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Rubble masonry with red gritstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Bro Dwynwen |
| Deanery | Synod Ynys Mon |
| Archdeaconry | Bangor |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bangor |
| Province | Province of Wales |
St Edwen's Church, Llanedwen is a historic church located near the Menai Strait in Anglesey, north Wales. The very first church here was started by St Edwen in the year 640. She was the daughter of Edwin of Northumbria, a king who became a saint.
The church building you see today was built much later, in 1856. It was designed by Henry Kennedy, who was the main architect for the Diocese of Bangor. Inside, you can find old memorials from the 1600s and 1700s. There's also a special reading desk that uses older wooden panels from the 1300s and 1600s.
A famous historian from the 1700s, Henry Rowlands, used to be the vicar (a type of priest) here. He is buried in the churchyard. The church is on land that belongs to the Plas Newydd estate. This estate has been home to the family of the Marquess of Anglesey since 1812. Today, the National Trust owns it. Some members of the Marquess's family and their staff are also buried in the churchyard.
St Edwen's Church is still used for worship by the Church in Wales. It's one of seven churches in a group called a combined parish. Every Sunday morning, a service is held using the old 1662 Book of Common Prayer. What's really cool is that St Edwen's is one of the few churches in Wales that is still lit only by candles during its services!
This church is a Grade II listed building. This means it's a special building that should be protected because of its history and design. Experts think it's a great example of Henry Kennedy's work for a small country church.
Contents
Discovering St Edwen's Church and Its Story
St Edwen's Church is found in the southern part of Anglesey, north Wales. It's in a quiet, countryside area called Llanedwen. The church is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the town of Llangefni. It's also very close to the Menai Strait, which is the narrow body of water separating Anglesey from the rest of Wales.
The church sits on land that is part of the Plas Newydd estate. This estate has been the home of the Marquess of Anglesey family since 1812. Some of the former marquesses and people who worked for them are buried in the churchyard. The Plas Newydd estate and its grounds are now looked after by the National Trust. The name Llanedwen itself comes from the church. In Welsh, "llan" originally meant "enclosure" and later came to mean "church."
The First Church and Saint Edwen
The first church in this area was started by St Edwen in 640 AD. Not much is known about Edwen's life. However, old writings suggest she was the daughter or niece of Edwin of Northumbria. King Edwin became a Christian in 627 AD and was later honored as a saint after he died in 633 AD. A writer from the 1100s, Geoffrey of Monmouth, wrote that Edwin was born in north Wales.
In 1833, a historian named Angharad Llwyd described the church as "a small but neat building, very old." The church was rebuilt in 1840 by John Welch. Another writer, Harry Longueville Jones, said in 1847 that St Edwen's was built in the Early Perpendicular style. This is a type of English Gothic architecture. He noted that its windows had been replaced.
In 1850, a Welsh politician and church historian, Sir Stephen Glynne, visited the church. He called it "a very small church in a lovely situation." He also mentioned that it had "a beautiful view over the Menai."
Building the Church We See Today
The church that these historians saw was taken down in 1856. The current building was then put up, designed by Henry Kennedy. The only part of the old church that remained was some stonework at the bottom of the west wall. Some repairs were done to the church in 1956.
St Edwen's is part of a group of seven churches in the Bro Dwynwen area. These churches are all looked after by one priest. A service is held every Sunday morning using the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. This is either Holy Communion or Morning Prayer. There are no services during the week. The church is part of the Diocese of Bangor. As of 2016, the main priest is Reverend E Roberts.
Notable People Connected to the Church
Many interesting people have been connected to St Edwen's Church. Henry Rowlands was a vicar here in the early 1700s. He wrote a history book about Anglesey called Mona Antiqua Restaurata, published in 1723. He is buried in the churchyard. His tombstone has a Latin message that means: "All things are nothing except what he gave to those in need. These things last when art and writings fade."
William Bulkeley Hughes, who lived in the area and passed away in 1882, is also buried in the churchyard. He was a Member of Parliament for 40 years. The churchyard also has one Commonwealth war grave. This is for an officer from the First World War.
Exploring the Church's Design and Features
St Edwen's Church is built from local red gritstone. This stone is cut into square blocks and decorated with sandstone. The roof is made of slate with stone edges. The church is built in the Late Decorated style. It has a tower with a pointed roof called a broach spire at its north-west corner. This tower is supported by strong buttresses.
You enter the church through a porch with an arched doorway. This is in the lowest part of the tower, which has three sections. Inside, you can see the wooden beams of the roof. Some of the beams in the main part of the church, called the nave, might be old medieval timbers that were reused in 1856. The nave and the chancel (the area near the altar) are separated by an arch and three steps. The chancel and the sanctuary (the area around the altar) are separated by a wooden rail.
Windows and Stained Glass
The west wall of the church has two windows. They are decorated with tracery, which is stone work that forms patterns within the window frame. The stained glass in these windows shows scenes from the Bible and geometric shapes. You can also see birds like the phoenix and peacock at the top. This glass is dedicated to Rice Robert Hughes, a clergyman who died in 1801.
There are three arched windows in the south wall of the nave. The stained glass in the window furthest to the east shows scenes from the Bible. This window is dedicated to William Bulkeley Hughes. The window furthest to the east in the north wall of the nave is dedicated to Thomas Bulkeley Hughes, who died in 1836, and his family. The chancel has one window in the east wall. This window has three sections, called lights, separated by stone mullions.
Inside the Church: Furnishings and Art
The pulpit, where sermons are given, has some oak panels from the 1800s. It also reuses some fancy 1600s panels. These older panels are decorated with pictures of cherubs, dragons, dogs, and lions' heads. The pews, where people sit, are made of pine wood. The choir stalls also have some carved oak panels that might be from the 1600s.
A reading desk from the 1800s uses older materials from the 1300s and 1600s. These carvings show a lion, a griffin (a mythical creature), and angels. The church also has an eight-sided sandstone font. This is a basin used for baptisms, and it's decorated with a carved cross.
In 1937, a survey recorded seven memorials from the 1600s and 1700s inside the church. The oldest one is for Thomas Owen, who died in 1646. The churchyard also has many old tombs, including one for Sidney Griffith (died 1618) and over 20 others from the 1600s and 1700s. The survey also noted some wooden dog tongs, likely from the 1800s, and three chairs from the 1600s.
A survey of church items in 1906 found a silver chalice (a cup for communion) from 1842 and a silver paten (a small plate) from 1776–77. Both are decorated with plants. A silver flagon (a large jug) has an inscription saying it was given by William Bulkeley Hughes when the new church was opened in 1856. The survey also mentioned a pewter flagon from about 1700 and a pewter dish. It noted that a silver chalice from the 1700s had been lost after 1811. As mentioned before, St Edwen's is special because it is one of the few churches in Wales that uses only candles for light during services.
Why St Edwen's Church is Important
St Edwen's Church is recognized nationally and protected by law. It is a Grade II listed building. This is the lowest of three grades, meaning it's a building of special interest that should be preserved. It received this status on April 23, 1998. It was listed because it's considered "a good example of H Kennedy's designs for a small-scale rural church." Cadw, the Welsh Government body that protects historic buildings, also points out the church's fittings. These include "some fine carved work of the 14th and 17th centuries."
Not everyone always agreed on the church's design. Sabine Baring-Gould wrote in 1908 that the rebuilt church was "wholly without interest." In 2009, a guide to the region's buildings mentioned that the Incorporated Church Building Society (an organization from the 1800s) thought Kennedy's design was "inconsistent with the gravity of feeling which pervades the ancient churches of Wales."
However, Harry Longueville Jones wrote in 1847 that the churchyard was "one of the most interesting in Anglesey." He liked its beautiful look and location. A 2006 guide to Anglesey's churches describes St Edwen's as "a good example of an unspoilt 19th century country church." It adds that the church is "little changed since it was built." The guide also says it's in a "tranquil spot" and is a landmark "visible from a considerable distance."
Images for kids
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The west end of the church
