1400

 

II*  

Designated  

16/11/1962  

10/11/1994  

Church of Saint Mary  

 

Denbighshire  

Rhuddlan  

 

 

302142  

378098  

SW  

Set back behind Church Street, and prominently sited above the river.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The original church was an aisle-less building of c1300 which was converted into a double-naved church by additions to the N in the ClS. The tower was added later still during the C15. The S nave was originally expressed as separate nave and chancel, but was reconstructed as a single chamber in 1812. In 1868-70, the church was restored by Gilbert Scott, who added the N porch, and renewed much of the fenestration. The internal layout, with the nave established in the N addition, and the chancel set high above it, is also the result of this restoration.  

Squat tower to W of present nave: 2 stages, but undivided externally. Triple window in lower stage, and paired foiled lights to bell-chamber (all Cl9); embattled parapet, and weather vane. Present S aisle is flush with tower to the W; early C14 stepped triple lancet window offset in its W wall, and heavy buttresses to W, probably additions. S wall has recut wide chamfered lancet window, and gabled porch with timbering on stone plinth. Scallopped bargeboards to gable, and traceried doors. Paired lancets either side of a wider lancet window E of the porch. A buttress towards the centre of the aisle marks the original limit of the nave, and the separate chancel which is shown in a drawing of 1782 was remodelled in the restoration of 1812. Paired lancet windows and small doorway towards the E. Triple lancet E window. Earlier roofline of northern nave visible on E wall of tower. Extensions obscure westernmost bay of this nave, which is divided by buttresses into 3 bays: recut paired lancet windows, and a recut 2-light traceried window set high in central bay (probably originally over pulpit inside). Similar paired lancets in eastern bay, and one square-headed window of 3 lights which may be an original feature. 3-light Perpendicular window beyond this to N of chancel may also be original. 5-light Decorated E window appears to pre-date the nave, and may have been re-sited, probably from the original single chambered church. Projecting from the N wall of the chancel is a mausoleum, added by William Davies Shipley of Bodrhyddan, Dean of Saint Asaph, in c1820: ashlar, with hipped roof and pilaster buttresses. Monuments: Three memorial slabs against W wall of nave - one has floriated cross of c1250-80 - the others have early C14 four-circle crosses. In S aisle: 2 mutilated slabs with effigies, both figures of priests, probably early C14. Some at least of these slabs originated at the Dominican Friary at Rhuddlan; inscribed wall memorials in Welsh, dated 1676 and 1710. In the chancel: slab incised with effigy and French inscription, William de Fresney, Archbishop of Rages (Odessa), c.1290 - brought from the site of the Dominican Friary at Abbey Farm; marble wall memorial to William Davies Shipley, d.1836. Stained Glass: E. windows both probably contemporary with Scott's restoration - both are memorials to members of the Shipley Conwy family. SE window of S aisle dated 1874. N window of sanctuary, by A.J.Davies of the Bromsgrove Guild, 1919 - a memorial to Geoffrey Seymour Rowley Conwy, killed at Gallipoli.  

The present arrangement of the church has nave to the north with wide S aisle, but both were once naves, and the church is equally divided spatially between the two. Original building forms the present S aisle, and the present nave is a Perpendicular addition: arcade of five and a half bays (the westernmost bay cut by the later tower), with octagonal piers with caveto moulded capitals to double chamfered arches. Present nave has hammerbeam roof with heavily moulded brackets, and arched braces to collar, with raking struts. Corbels of an earlier roof survive in its S wall. Plain double chamfered tower arch, and steep arched N door (now leading into kitchen extension). There is no structural subdivision between nave and chancel but although the arcade is continuous, its easternmost bays are of a different stone, and appear to be a separate phase of construction. Steps up to chancel, incorporating pulpit at N: grey and pink stone with polished granite inlays. Encaustic tiled floor, incorporating highly glazed tiles with embossed decoration. Sanctuary raised further up steps, with plain wood panelling to E wall, and cusped ogee traceried panels and vinescroll frieze to reredos, which is dated 1917. Blocked doorway to mausoleum to N with chamfered 4-centred arch, inscribed 'Sr. Jo. Shipley Conwy kngt 1637'. Roof over S aisle has moulded brackets which are similar to those of nave roof, but which carry arched braced trusses. Organ in S aisle, which has side altar at E end, is separated from sanctuary by a traceried stone screen which is a memorial to members of the Shipley-Conwy family of Bodrhyddan, between 1788-1871. It was originally erected by Dean Shipley, c1820, and is said to have been designed by John Carline of Shrewsbury. First erected on the N wall of the chancel, it was moved to its present position during Scott's restoration. Furnishinas: Fragments of painted C17 Welsh texts on S and N nave walls. Pews etc. probably date from Scott's restoration, as does font at W end of S aisle - a round basin with heavy scrolled angle brackets on a rectangular base.