4283

 

II  

Designated  

19/10/1971  

30/03/1999  

Church of St Michael  

 

Gwynedd  

Dolbenmaen  

Dolbenmaen  

Llanfihangel-y-Pennant  

252722  

344862  

 

The church lies in the central section of the valley, set within its large churchyard on the low lying valley floor. Within the churchyard there are a number of gravestones of the first half of the C18.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The church is perhaps C17 in origin, and the centre of a separate parish centred in the Pennant valley. It was considerably altered in the C19, with the W gallery dated 1847. Further restorations carried out in 1888. The parish registers begin in 1692.  

Built of coursed stone rubble of local origin, with a slate roof. A long single cell building with a boarded W door within a pointed arch, and above, a gabled bellcote. Three pointed-headed windows each side, and a similar window over the W door, all furnished with diamond pattern lead glazing. The E window is composed of three equally sized round-headed lancets with transomed timber frames, each containing coloured glass in the upper half.  

A western entrance lobby with store on the S side is formed under a western gallery. Internal walls plastered above a dado formed with C17 panelling probably from earlier box pews, and bearing the dates 1687 and ST RM 1688. Six roof trusses forming 7 bays, of collar and king-post form with knee braces carrying the roof on 2 tiers of purlins, all probably C19 or refurbished at that time. The W gallery is early C19 with panelled cornice front, raked and carrying 4 ranges of pews. Fittings: altar rail, probably early C19, turned balusters. Two timber lecterns. Octagonal Gothic pulpit with openwork tracery sides. Simple early C19 pews. Monuments: on the Nave S side, White marble wall tablets: (a) Jane Brynker, d.1760, erected by William Wynn of Macsyneuadd; (b) a rectangular tablet to Mrs Jane Price of Rhiwlas (Mer) d.1727, noting a royal bounty was procured for the church; (c) Catherine Price, d.1727, 'who had not the external ornaments of costly apparel' wife of James Brynker, d.1644, he 'a great sufferer for his Royal Master' added; oval marble tondo with a fine draped profile bust over. On the N side: (d) Rev Augustus Jones, d.1910; and 3 slate tablets floated into the plaster; (e) Jane Jones, d.1790; (f) 3 children of Mary Powell, d.1812, 1835 and 1837, and John Powell, a son, d.1842 in the Gulf of Mexico, aged 25; (g) Mary Powell, d.1847, with Robert Powell, d.1855.  

Included as a simple C17 rural parish church in a picturesque rural setting, containing some interesting memorials, its C19 restoration scarcely influenced by gothic revival principles. Of group value with Pont Llanfihangel.