St Mary's Church, Bodewryd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Bodewryd |
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The churchyard and south side of the church
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| OS grid reference | SH 400 905 |
| Location | Bodewryd, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | Before 1254; earliest dateable feature of present building is c.1500 |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 12 May 1970 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 34 feet 9 inches (10.6 m) |
| Width | 14 feet (4.3 m) |
| Materials | Rubble masonry |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Llanfechell with Bodewryd with Rhosbeirio with Llanfflewin and Llanbadrig |
| Deanery | Twrcelyn |
| Archdeaconry | Bangor |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bangor |
| Province | Province of Wales |
St Mary's Church, Bodewryd, is a small, old church located in the quiet village of Bodewryd in Anglesey, north Wales. We don't know exactly when it was first built, but there was a church here as far back as 1254. The oldest part of the current building, a doorway, dates from around the year 1500.
In 1867, the church was fixed up after being hit by lightning. During this repair, something very unusual happened: the windows were given special stained glass with patterns that looked like Islamic art. This was because the person paying for the repairs, Lord Stanley of Alderley, had become a Muslim and wanted these designs included.
Today, St Mary's Church is still used for worship by the Church in Wales. It's considered a Grade II listed building, which means it's a special historical building that should be protected. It's known for being a "simple, rural church of Medieval origins."
The Church's Story and Where It Is
We don't know the exact starting date for the first church building on this spot. Records show a church existed here in 1254. For a while in the 1200s, the church was owned by a group of monks called the Augustinians from a place called Penmon.
The walls of the church you see today are very old, from the medieval period. The oldest part that we can put a date on is the doorway of the porch on the north side, which looks like it's from the 15th century, around 1500.
In 1867, the church needed repairs because it was struck by lightning. An architect named Henry Kennedy, who worked for the local church area (the Diocese of Bangor), led the restoration. The money for these repairs came from Lord Stanley of Alderley. He was a very interesting person who had converted to Islam. When he donated money to churches, he often asked for Islamic designs to be included in the repair work. That's why St Mary's Church has windows with colorful geometric patterns. He also asked for similar patterns at a nearby church called St Peirio's Church, Rhosbeirio.
For many years, the church was connected to the Wynn family, who lived in Bodewryd. They owned land there from 1521 until 1755. A famous member of this family, Humphrey Humphreys, who became a bishop, was married at St Mary's in 1690.
The church is located right by the road in Bodewryd, in the northern part of Anglesey. It's about 3 miles (5 km) from the town of Amlwch. The church is surrounded by a rectangular churchyard, which you enter through a wooden gate. It's still an active church and is part of a larger group of churches in the area.
What the Church Looks Like Inside and Out
St Mary's Church is quite small, described as "tiny." The local church area (Diocese of Bangor) even says it's the second-smallest church in Anglesey! The main part of the church, which includes both the nave (where people sit) and the chancel (near the altar), measures about 34 feet 9 inches long and 14 feet wide (about 10.6 meters by 4.3 meters).
The church is built from rough stones called rubble masonry. The roof is made of slate, and you can see the wooden beams from inside. At the west end of the roof, there's a small tower for a bell. The only bell in the church is from 1747 and has pretty vine decorations.
You enter the church through a porch on the north side. The doorway to the porch has a rounded top and a 15th-century style doorframe, but the porch itself is newer. The windows in the main part of the church have rounded tops. The window at the east end of the church is from the late 1500s. It's rectangular with three tall, narrow sections of glass.
Inside, there are two fonts, which are bowls used for baptisms. One might be from the medieval period and is a rectangular stone bowl. The other, which might have been added during the 1800s repairs, is an oval bowl made of a material called alabaster and is very decorated.
You can also see several memorials on the walls. There are brass plaques remembering members of the Wynne family, who were buried in the churchyard. Records from 1937 show that seven generations of Wynne family men were buried here, starting in 1500. The church also has some old silver items, like cups, and part of an oak table from 1611.
Why This Church Is Special
St Mary's Church is officially recognized and protected as a Grade II listed building. This means it's a "building of special interest" and efforts should be made to keep it safe and preserved. It received this status on May 12, 1970. It's listed because it's a "simple, rural church of Medieval origins."
Cadw, which is the Welsh government body that looks after Wales's historical buildings, notes that the church still has parts from the medieval period, but much of its current look comes from the 1800s. They describe it as a "simple vernacular building," meaning it's built in a traditional local style.
An old writer named Angharad Llwyd, who studied history in the 1800s, called the church a "small ancient edifice" (a small old building). She mentioned the memorials to the Wynne family. A guide to churches from 2006 also describes it as "one of the smallest churches in Anglesey" and says it's in a "pleasant location."
