St Mary's Church, Rhodogeidio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Rhodogeidio |
|
|---|---|
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_329253.jpg)
Inside the ruined church, looking towards the east window
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SH 398 855 |
| Location | Rhodogeidio, near Llannerch-y-medd, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| History | |
| Status | Chapel of ease |
| Founded | 15th century |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Disused and in ruins |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 12 May 1970 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Late medieval |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Width | 12 ft 3 in (3.7 m) |
| Materials | Rubble masonry |
St Mary's Church, Rhodogeidio is a small, old church built in the 1400s. It is located near Llannerch-y-medd in Anglesey, north Wales. This church was once a chapel of ease, which means it was a smaller church built to help people who lived far from the main church, St Ceidio's. Even though some repairs were done in the 1800s, St Mary's Church is now mostly in ruins and is no longer used.
This church is a Grade II listed building. This is a special national title given to buildings that are very important and should be protected. St Mary's is special because it is a very simple church from the late Middle Ages that has not been changed much, even though it is in poor condition. Some people say it is probably the most isolated church in Anglesey, meaning it is very far away from other buildings.
Contents
Where is St Mary's Church?
St Mary's Church is found in the countryside of Rhodogeidio, in Anglesey, north Wales. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Llannerch-y-medd. You can only reach it by walking along a footpath from a farm. The church is surrounded by its own churchyard. The area around it is called Gwredog.
When Was the Church Built?
The church was built in the 1400s. It was a chapel of ease for St Ceidio's Church, Rhodogeidio, which is about 0.75 miles (1.25 km) to the east. This meant it made it easier for people in the area to attend church without traveling far.
Some repairs were made to the church in the 1800s. However, it later stopped being used. By 1970, when it was given its special listed building status, it was already in "very poor" condition and mostly in ruins.
What Does the Church Look Like?
St Mary's is a small church, measuring about 30 feet (9.1 meters) long and 12 feet 3 inches (3.7 meters) wide. It was built in the late medieval period using rough stones. The roof was made of slate, but most of it is now gone. There is a small bell tower at the west end of the church, which might be part of the original building.
Inside, there is no wall separating the main part of the church (the nave) from the area where the altar would have been (the chancel). However, in the 1800s, there were still signs of a screen that once separated these two parts.
Doors and Windows
The main entrance to the church was through a doorway on the north wall, near the west end. This doorway was added in the 1800s. Near the door, there is a stone with the date 1798 and some initials carved into it. This might mark when some renovation work was done.
There are two windows on the south wall, but one is completely blocked up, and the other is partly blocked. The small window at the east end of the church was built in the late 1400s.
Inside the Ruins
Not much is left inside the church, but most of the original wooden roof supports are still there. One of the supports at the west end was replaced later. You can also see some slate memorial tablets on the walls, which date from the mid-1800s. There is also a simple, round font (a basin for baptisms) from the 1100s.
In 1937, a survey noted that the church had a bell from 1717 and some old wooden seats from the 1600s. However, these items were not recorded when the church became a listed building in 1970, meaning they were likely gone by then.
Why is St Mary's Church Important?
St Mary's Church is recognized nationally and is protected by law because 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.
Cadw, which is the Welsh Government body in charge of protecting Wales's historic buildings, noted that St Mary's is a "late Medieval church of exceptionally simple character." They also mentioned that even though it is in "very poor condition," it is still a church from the late Middle Ages that has not been changed much. Its isolated location is also typical of many old churches on the island of Anglesey.
In 1859, a clergyman named Harry Longueville Jones described it as a "small, plain, single-aisled chapel." He also said that one of the small south windows was a "good specimen of its kind." A guide to Anglesey churches from 2006 stated that the "roofless ruin" of St Mary's "has the distinction of probably being the most isolated church in Anglesey."
