5309

 

II  

Designated  

05/04/1971  

07/09/1998  

Church of St Mihangel  

 

Isle of Anglesey  

Llanfair-yn-Neubwll  

 

Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn  

232137  

377449  

SE  

Set within an enclosed rectangular wall churchyard at the SE side of Minffordd Road in the centre of Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Largely rebuilt in 1862, by architects Kennedy and Rogers, of Bangor but probably incorporating the remains of an earlier church on the site, particularly in the eastern part. In 1988 the church was renovated, a block was added to the W end of the church, built at right angles to the older church and linking it with a small outbuilding in the NW corner of the churchyard. The masonry for this added block and the front porch was taken from the ruins of the church of Llanynghenedl. Now used as RAF chapel, associated with their base at Valley.  

A simple rectangular church with shorter narrower block at W end; NW block added at right angles with shorter vestry at N end and lean-to porch in angle. Built with local rubble and freestone dressings. Modern slate roof with stone copings; main part with cross at E gable and single ashlar bellcote surmounted by a cross at W; added block with W gable cross. Main part in Decorated style with nave of 3 bays; windows with sandstone dressings, trefoil-headed lights in square frames. N wall with single light at E end and paired lights in central and W bay; S wall with 3-light window at W end, paired central window and E window with remains of medieval jambs (now blocked). E window a pointed arched window with hoodmould; 3 trefoil-headed lights to lower part with 2 shorter lights above. The added blocks have pointed arched, lancet style, windows; W block of 2 bays, S wall with paired light to W end and triple light to E, W gable and N wall with single lights and N block with paired lights in E and W walls. Main entrance is under the E side of the added lean-to porch, in the W end of the main block; a 4-centred doorway set into a square-headed frame. Further doorways into the added blocks are set under the W end of the lean-to porch, with a single square headed doorway in the N gable. The lychgate to the churchyard abuts this northern block; a pointed arched entrance within a pointed gateway. A low rubble wall continues round the rectangular churchyard.  

Nave of 4 roof bays with exposed rafters and collared trusses with cambered collars with chamfered soffits; trusses with braces carried down to wall posts supported on plain corbels. The sanctuary is raised by one step, divided by turned balusters supporting a trefoil frieze below a moulded rail. Set in front of the sanctuary is a C17 gravestone, to Owen Hughes d.1613. Pews are of pitch pine arranged in 2 ranks with central aisle. At the W end the nave is divided from the added block by 3 round arches supported on paired columns with cushion capitals. The room beyond, raised by 3 steps, has a similarly detailed roof of 2 bays; with modern trusses set on moulded corbels.  

Listed as a good example of a mid C19 church, built as part of a programme of reconstruction and restoration of Anglesey churches, and in the simplicity of its design, complementing the local late medieval idiom typical of the island.