St Mihangel's Church, Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mihangel's Church |
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St Mihangel's Church
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| OS grid reference | SH321774 |
| Location | Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Previous denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Chapel for RAF Valley |
| Dedication | St Michael |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 5 April 1971 |
| Architect(s) | Henry Kennedy (1862) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Rubble masonry |
St Mihangel's Church is located in the village of Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn in Anglesey, north Wales. It used to be a regular church for the local community. Now, it serves as the chapel for RAF Valley, which is a nearby Royal Air Force base.
The first church on this spot was built a very long time ago, but no one knows the exact date. In 1862, the church that was there at the time was rebuilt. St Mihangel's became the chapel for RAF Valley in 1998. This happened after the Church in Wales stopped using it for regular services. To make it bigger for the RAF, another old church from Anglesey, St Enghenedl's, was carefully taken apart and put back together at the west end of St Mihangel's.
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. It's considered a good example of a church built in the mid-1800s. Inside, you can find beautiful stained-glass windows. These windows celebrate the important work done at RAF Valley, especially by the RAF Search and Rescue teams who help people in danger.
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Where is St Mihangel's Church?
St Mihangel's Church is in a churchyard with a wall and gate. It's right by the road in the village of Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn in Anglesey, north Wales. The church is named after St Michael. In Welsh, "Mihangel" is a form of Michael.
The village itself gets its name from the church. The Welsh word "llan" first meant "enclosure" and later came to mean "church." So, Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn means "Church of St Michael in the Towyn." The village is about 5 miles from Holyhead, a port town on the north-west side of Anglesey.
A Look at the Church's History
We don't know when the very first church was built here. In 1833, a writer named Angharad Llwyd described the church as "ancient and venerable." She said it was easy to spot from many miles away.
Most of St Mihangel's was rebuilt in 1862 by Henry Kennedy. He was an architect for the Diocese of Bangor. Some parts of the older church, especially the east end, were used again in Kennedy's new design.
In 1988, something very interesting happened. St Enghenedl's Church, Llanynghenedl, which was an unused church in Anglesey, was taken apart. Its pieces were then carefully put back together at the west end of St Mihangel's. This was done so St Mihangel's could become the chapel for RAF Valley. When St Enghenedl's was rebuilt, its direction was flipped. Its old west end was joined to the west end of Kennedy's building. This means St Enghenedl's east end now faces west!
What the Church Looks Like Inside and Out
Before the 1862 rebuilding, in 1847, a clergyman named Harry Longueville Jones described the church as small. He said it was about 46 feet long, 21 feet 6 inches wide, and 9 feet high. He also noted that the east window had a "peculiar" design. It had a shield-shaped section above the two main parts, perhaps for a coat of arms.
The church today is shaped like a rectangle. It's built with rough stones (called rubble masonry) and has smooth stone details. The roof is made of slates and has stone caps. The part of the church built in the 1800s is wider and taller than the part added in 1988.
A small bell tower (called a bellcote) is in the middle of the roof. It sits where the two parts of the church join. There's also an extra room, like a small building, at the western end of the north side. This room includes a vestry, which is where clergy prepare for services.
Inside, the main part of the church (the nave) has three sections. You can see the wooden beams of the roof. The area for the altar (the sanctuary) is set apart by a step and a rail. There's a gravestone from the 1600s set into the floor in front of the sanctuary. The newer part of the church has two sections. The two parts of the church are connected by three round arches. The church and the extra room each have their own entrances.
The windows in the 1800s part of the church have a pattern of three overlapping circles (called trefoils) at the top. They are set into square frames. The north wall has three windows: one with a single section of glass and two with two sections. The south wall has two windows: one with three sections and one with two. There's also a window on the east end of the south wall that has been blocked up. The church's east window has a pointed arch. It has three trefoil-headed sections of glass at the bottom and two smaller sections on top. The windows in the newer part of the church have pointed arches.
Most of the windows have clear glass with lead lines. However, some have beautiful stained glass. In 2010, a two-panel stained glass window was dedicated. It shows the important work of the RAF Search and Rescue teams at RAF Valley. The window also honors the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service. This window was created by Karen Newby and Lindsey Abbott. Karen Newby also designed a window in 2001 to celebrate the work of 208 Squadron at RAF Valley. Another stained glass window was added in 2012 to mark 100 years of 4 Squadron.
In 1937, a survey noted a rectangular font (a basin for baptisms) made of gritstone. Its age was unknown. There was also a memorial to Sion Evan and his son Evan Jones, who passed away in 1790 and 1822. A survey of church items in 1906 found a chalice (a cup) and a paten (a small plate) made of Britannia metal, which is a type of pewter. It also found an electro-plated set of communion vessels. The survey mentioned that the old silver communion set had been stolen.
Why St Mihangel's Church is Special
St Mihangel's Church is officially recognized and protected. It is a Grade II listed building. This is the lowest of three levels of protection, but it still means the building is very special and efforts should be made to keep it safe. It received this status on April 5, 1971.
It's listed because it's seen as "a good example of a mid 19th-century church." It was built as part of a project to rebuild and restore churches in Anglesey. Cadw, the Welsh Government body that looks after Wales's historic buildings, also notes its "simplicity of its design." They say it fits well with the typical style of buildings on the island from the late medieval period.
