St Gallgo's Church, Llanallgo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Gallgo's Church |
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The south side of the church
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| OS grid reference | SH 501 850 |
| Location | Llanallgo, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| Website | Church website |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | Early 6th century or 605 (sources disagree) |
| Dedication | St Gallgo |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 12 May 1970 |
| Style | Perpendicular architecture |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 24 ft (7.3 m) (nave) |
| Width | 12 ft (3.7 m) (nave and chancel) |
| Materials | Rubble masonry |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Llaneugrad and Llanallgo with Penrhosllugwy with Llanfihangel Tre'r Beirdd |
| Deanery | Twrcelyn |
| Archdeaconry | Bangor |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bangor |
| Province | Province of Wales |
St Gallgo's Church is a small, historic church located near the village of Llanallgo on the east coast of Anglesey, north Wales. Some parts of the church, like the main body (chancel) and side sections (transepts), were built in the late 1400s. However, there has been a church on this spot since the 500s or early 600s. This makes it one of the oldest Christian sites in Anglesey! The church was repaired and made bigger in the 1800s.
This church is famous because of a terrible shipwreck in 1859. The ship, called the Royal Charter, sank off the coast of Anglesey. St Gallgo's Church was used as a temporary place to keep the victims' bodies. About 140 people who died in the wreck are buried in the churchyard. Charles Dickens, a famous writer, visited the church and wrote about the shipwreck. He was very impressed by the church's rector, Stephen Roose Hughes, who helped the victims and their families. Sadly, Hughes died a few years later, likely due to the stress of these events. He is also buried in the churchyard.
Today, St Gallgo's Church is still an active church. It is part of the Church in Wales and holds regular services in both English and Welsh. The church is a Grade II listed building. This means it's a special building that should be protected because of its history and unique design. Inside, you can find a very old bell from the late 1200s, old memorials, and church furniture from the early 1900s.
Contents
History of St Gallgo's Church
St Gallgo's Church is located southwest of the village of Llanallgo, close to the eastern coast of Anglesey, north Wales. It is about 6 miles (9.7 km) from Llangefni, the main town in the area.
Founding the Church
Historians believe that St Gallgo first established a church here in the early 6th or 7th century. This makes it one of the very oldest Christian places in Anglesey. St Gallgo was one of the sons of St Caw, a king from northern Britain. His brothers included St Gildas and St Eugrad, who also founded a nearby church.
The village of Llanallgo gets its name from the church. In Welsh, the word llan originally meant "enclosure" and later came to mean "church." So, Llanallgo means "Gallgo's church." There was once a well near the church named after St Gallgo. People believed its waters had healing powers.
Changes Over Time
Records show a church existed here in 1254. However, the oldest parts of the building you see today, like the main body and side sections, were built in the late 1400s. The church has been repaired and changed many times over the centuries. In 1831, a new window was added. In 1892, major restoration work took place, making the main part of the church (the nave) longer. In 1934, the area around the altar (sanctuary) was restored in memory of a former rector, Stephen Roose Hughes. Sadly, the church's vestry was damaged by fire in 2004 but has since been fixed.
The Royal Charter Shipwreck
The churchyard holds the graves of 140 victims from the sinking of the Royal Charter in October 1859. An obelisk, a tall stone pillar, stands as a memorial to this disaster. Over 440 passengers and crew died when the ship sank off the coast of Anglesey.
Stephen Roose Hughes was the rector of St Gallgo's at the time. The church was used as a temporary mortuary as bodies were found. Rector Hughes and his brother, who was also a rector, led many of the funeral services. Hughes wrote over 1,000 letters to people looking for news of their loved ones. He also comforted many families who came to Anglesey.
The famous writer Charles Dickens stayed with Rector Hughes when he visited Anglesey to write about the sinking. Dickens wrote about his experiences in his book The Uncommercial Traveller. He noted how carefully Hughes worked to identify victims using their belongings and features. Rector Hughes died just three years later. His gravestone in the churchyard mentions that the stress of the shipwreck events contributed to his early death. He is still remembered at St Gallgo's every year on the anniversary of his death, February 4th. The churchyard also contains two graves from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, one from World War I and one from World War II.
Notable People and Current Use
Several important people have been connected to St Gallgo's. The poet Dafydd Trefor was a rector here in the early 1500s. Another poet and historian, John Williams, was also a rector from 1883 until his death in 1891. Both are buried in the churchyard.
St Gallgo's is still an active church today. It is part of a group of four churches in the area. Services are held every Sunday morning, alternating between communion and morning prayer. There are also evening services twice a month and a midweek communion service in the church hall in Moelfre.
Architecture and Features
St Gallgo's Church is built in the Perpendicular style, which was popular in the late Middle Ages. It is made from rough stone (rubble masonry). The roof is slate, and there's a stone bell tower at the west end. The church is shaped like a cross, with side sections (transepts) to the north and south of the main body (chancel). You enter through a porch on the north side. The inside walls of the main part of the church and the transepts are covered with painted bricks.
Inside the Church
You can see the wooden beams that support the roof of the main part of the church. The roofs in the chancel and transepts have curved, boarded ceilings. The floor of the chancel is made from local limestone. The east window in the chancel is from the 1400s, though its decorative stone work is newer. It has stained glass showing Jesus walking on water and saying, "It is I, be not afraid." The east windows in both the north and south transepts have a five-lobed design at the top called a cinquefoil. The windows in the main part of the church were added in the late 1800s.
Bell and Furniture
The church's bell is one of the oldest in the area, dating back to the late 1200s. It even has the imprint of a coin from the time of King Edward I (who ruled from 1272 to 1307). The bell also has a Latin message that means "Hail Mary full of grace." Restoring the bell in 2000 cost £3,000.
The altar, communion rail, pulpit, and reading desk were all made in the early 1900s. They are crafted from light-colored oak in an Arts and Crafts style, with pretty floral designs. In the north transept, there is a stone memorial on the wall for a former rector, Lewis Owen, and his grandson, who both died in 1771. The font, used for baptisms, is modern.
Why St Gallgo's Church is Important
St Gallgo's Church is recognized nationally and protected by law. It is a Grade II listed building. This means it is a "building of special interest" that should be preserved. It received this status on May 12, 1970. Experts describe it as a "rural church with strong Perpendicular character," meaning it has a distinct style common in the late 1400s. They also note that it still has some original features from that time.
Historians and church experts have often praised St Gallgo's. In 1831, Angharad Llwyd called it a "small and handsome structure." In 1859, Harry Longueville Jones, a clergyman, said it was one of the "better kind" of churches in Anglesey. He noted that the church's construction was more careful than usual, suggesting it was built by someone generous. In 1868, Sir Stephen Glynne, a politician and church historian, visited. He observed that St Gallgo's had been changed less than most other churches in Anglesey, making it a valuable historical site.
