5276

 

II*  

Designated  

05/04/1971  

04/03/1998  

Church of St. Edeyrn  

 

Isle of Anglesey  

Bodedern  

Bodedern  

Bodedern  

233350  

380450  

N  

Situated on the N side of Church Street in the centre of the village of Bodedern.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

A church has occupied this site possibly since C14, parts of which may remain in the nave, with the upper parts of the walls rebuilt and some of the original windows reset; the N wall was rebuilt above the window heads, the S wall from a height of c2-3ft (60-90cm) above ground level. The chancel, N transept and S porch are later additions contemporary with the extensive restorations by Kennedy and O'Donoghue in 1871.  

Perpendicular style church. Nave of 5 bays with added chancel at E end, N transept and SW porch; there is a single offset buttress at the SE corner of the nave. Built with local rubble with sandstone dressings; modern slate roof with stone copings, single bellcote at the W gable and crosses to E ends of nave and chancel, and to porch. Nave has Perpendicular windows of 1, 2 and 3 lights to S; window left (W) of porch in pointed frame, others in square frames; central and E window re-set C15, others late C19. The S porch has a modern outer segmental arched doorway of two chamfered orders with a lambs tongue stop, a moulded label with floriate stops and relieving arch. The C15 inner door has a pointed head in a square frame with a moulded label, casement moulded jambs and sunk trefoils in the spandrels. The nave N wall has 2 reset C15 Perpendicular windows of 2 lights to E end, a C19 window to W and an early C14 pointed doorway with ovolo moulded jambs between; W gable wall has a single reset C15 gallery window; chancel has a reset C15 window in the E gable of three trefoil lights with panel tracery, ovolo moulded jambs and a moulded label; the S chancel window is C19 with 3 cinquefoil lights with panel tracery. The N transept has C19 windows; E and W of 2-lights, the N window of 3.  

Roof has exposed arch braced trusses, those to the nave being re-used and of late Medieval origin. Chancel and N transept through pointed arches of single chamfered orders, chancel is raised by 2 steps, divided from the nave by a low screen of C17 softwood panels with floriate carving under an acanthus leaf frieze and moulded rail, the central panels being pierced and slightly recessed. The carved panelling is repeated in the reredos, the upper part of the rectangular pulpit and on the facing panel of a reading desk. The sanctuary is raised by a further 3 steps, with encaustic tiles on the riser of the second step reading: GOLCHAF FY NWYLAW MEWN DINIWEIDRWYDD ATH ALLOR O ARGLWYDD A AMGYLCH HYNAF (WASH MY PASSION AWAY WITH INNOCENCE AT THE ALTAR OF THE LORD HERE), the moulded sanctuary rail has decorative stanchions and brackets. C18 gallery at W end with turned balustered front is reached by a staircase to the left and is supported on 2 oak crossbeams, the front beam is inscribed IB.RH.II.W.1777. and the rear beam is reused. The Medieval font is a plain, octagonal straight sided bowl on an octagonal column and plinth. Pews are of pitch pine, 3 with brass plaques with the name Presaddfed and one with the name Mynydd y gof. Glass: N transept window depicting St. Edeyrn by Mayer & Co. of Munich and London. E chancel ascension window and S chancel window of geometric designs with brass plaques below to Mary, wife of Rev. Hugh Wynne Jones of Treiorwerth d.1867, son Thomas d.1856 and daughter Jane d.1851. Memorials: The church contains C18 and C19 memorials.  

Listed as a good example of a late medieval church, its character maintained in the late C19 restoration and rebuilding work, and retaining some of the medieval fabric and windows. The interior contains some finely detailed fittings including the chancel screen, reredos, pulpit and reading desk with C17 carved panels, and also a late C18 gallery at the W end.