1424

 

II*  

Designated  

19/06/1950  

12/09/2001  

Church of St Melyd  

 

Denbighshire  

Prestatyn  

Prestatyn  

Meliden  

306293  

381097  

W  

In the village of Meliden, at the north junction of Ffordd Talargoch with Meliden Road.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The rounded form of the original churchyard implies an early mediaeval date of foundation. A church here is referred to in Domesday. The dedication to St Melyd, possibly Mellitus, a C7 missionary, is unique in Wales. Of the present building the earliest dateable fabric (before restoration) was the west windows, which were of the C13. Evidence of C14 work is provided by the main south doorway, and the east window is C15. Most other detail of the church belongs to the C19 restoration. Before restoration the church was rendered externally and plastered internally. A drawing of the time shows a simple two-opening bellcote and a south dormer window lighting the west gallery. The church was heavily restored by Arthur Baker in 1884-5, despite the objections of the SPAB; he added a vestry and carried out considerable work to the windows and roof, but the original walls substantially survive. In stripping the interior painted wall texts were lost. Prior to the restoration there was a 3-decker pulpit centrally against the north wall of the nave and there were box pews and a west gallery. The box pews were replaced by free open seats and the very successful character of the interior is now entirely that of the late Victorian restoration. The contractor for the restoration was A Torkington of Rhyl, and the cost about £1100. The reredos was donated in 1950.  

A small church with no exterior distinction between nave and chancel, in uncoursed axe-dressed masonry and with a slate roof in regular courses and a tile ridge. Similar masonry in the side walls of the porch to south and in the facing of the C19 vestry to north. The original and restoration work is mostly local limestone, but Baker's refronting of the porch and his rebuild of the west wall are in sandstone. Freestone dressings to the door and window openings, both original and restored. The east and west gables are coped; finial cross at east, double bellcote at west but only one bell (dated 1700). The gables of the porch and vestry have exposed tie beams with timber framing above and prominent bargeboards. The east window retains its original jambs and arch including a label mould with face finials, but the tracery is all restored; five lights. Two-light window to south of chancel with flat head, lacking label mould; three-light window adjacent to porch with four-centred arch and label mould slightly everted at foot. Two-light C19 window west of porch with no label mould. In the east wall are two small lancets with a small hexafoil rose above, restored but said to be done on basis of surviving C13 fabric. At north there is a two-light C19 window close to the vestry, a three-light high level window under a flat head at the former pulpit position, and a walled up north door under a simple chamfered pointed arch, above which is a small C19 single light. In the north face of the vestry are two timber windows, in its west face a Tudor door and one timber window, and another small timber window in the angle of vestry and chancel. Long timber windows inserted in the sides of the porch, and prominent timber jambs to the outer porch doors. The porch inner door is a fine mediaeval survival with ledges, frame, cross bracing and restored battens, studded externally.  

The church is entered at the south, and has been restored with good quality joinery intended to create a warm contrast to the bare stonework of the ancient walls. The chancel is differentiated by its ribbed barrel ceiling commencing at a C19 truss of hammer beam type which incorporates Perpendicular tracery, above the chancel step. The roof of the nave is of trussed rafters, partly restored, not divided into bays; the rafters have collars and arch braces. Plain open pitch-pine pews in the nave with brass umbrella holders, carved oak Gothic pulpit at right on a stone base with four steps; open panels at top with small turned balusters. Material from the former pulpit is said to be incorporated in its construction. At the north side of the nave is the recess of the former north doorway, now walled up, with a four-centred arch, and an irregular sill to the central window where the pulpit formerly stood. Single step up into chancel. Oak choirstalls and communion rails with no gate. Carved oak reredos to the altar, donated 1950. At left the organ and the door to the vestry are set together within a screen slightly off-centred within a heavily moulded Tudor arch. The chancel is paved with encaustic and coloured decorative tiles in patterns. A fragment of a misericord survives near the pulpit. The font is C12, octagonal with a design of panels in low relief incorporating arches with a slight point. Restored base. A board on the south wall commemorates those who served in the Great War, and another to west of the door commemorates the fallen. Another tablet on the north wall commemorates the fallen in both World Wars.  

A small parish church retaining much mediaeval fabric, sympathetically restored to retain late medieval character externally, with mainly Victorian interior.