5396

 

II  

Designated  

12/05/1970  

14/03/2001  

Church of St Cynfarwy  

 

Isle of Anglesey  

Tref Alaw  

Holyhead  

Llechynfarwy  

238120  

381090  

SE  

Within a rectangular churchyard set back from SE side of the B5112; S of the staggered junction at the centre of the small hamlet of Llechynfarwy.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The church was listed in the Valuation of Norwich, 1254, though the present church has a continuous nave and chancel of uncertain date and C17 S chapel; extensively rebuilt in late C19 and modernised. Modern porch. The S wall of the S chapel has been repaired recently, with proud pointing and the lower half of the wall rendered.  

Simple rural church in Early Decorated style, continuous nave and chancel with S porch and NW gabled porch; raking buttresses flanking the porch and at NE corner of the chancel. Built of rubble masonry, mortared, with freestone dressings. Roof of thin slates with exposed joist ends, single gable over N window; stone copings on shaped kneelers, decorative cross finials and dressed stone W gable bellcote, with Tudor flower bosses at the base. The nave and chancel are of 2 bays, the N wall has a single 2-light cusped and foiled window in steep gable, and gabled porch towards W: steep arched doorway with broach-stop chamfered angles. The S wall has a single Perpendicular style window to L (W) of 3 trefoil-headed lights in a rectangular frame; S chapel to R (E) has a 2-light foiled window in a hollow-chamfered arch to S. Set in the gable apex above the window is a rough stone plaque with bears the date and initials: 1664 / W B. The E window has 3 trefoils in cusped tracery over paired trefoil-headed lights in a pointed-arch hollow-chamfered frame with hoodmould over.  

The inner porch door is a wide boarded door with ornate hinges set in a lambs tongue chamfered, pointed-archway. The nave and chancel share a continuous C19 3-bay roof with exposed braced and collared chamfered trusses on shaped corbels, with angled braces over the collar. The S chapel has a 2-bay roof of braced collared trusses. Fittings are C19. The chancel is raised by 2 steps with a moulded rail on shaped stanchions with floriate brackets; there is a panelled reredos with chamfered angles. The pulpit has angled corners and paired trefoil-headed panels to each face. At the W end of the church is the C12 font, a circular bowl with 4 panels of incised crossed lines within square panels. The font is set on a C19 base; a shaped column set on a squared platform. On the N wall of the S chapel is a bronze memorial tablet set within an elaborate marble surround. The tablet is set within a moulded surround with flanking pilasters with scrolled surrounds surmounted by skulls. Above the tablet is a moulded arch, a coat of arms within is surmounted by 2 helmeted heads, the lower with visor closed, the topmost with visor open. The arch is broken at the apex, a banner reads DUW DDIGON and above is a crown surmounted by a skull. There is a winged skull below the tablet, set into a shaped recess with scrolled base. On the N wall of the nave, close to the chancel, are 2 plainer marble memorial tablets: One on shaped corbels and surmounted by a deer set within a diamond plaque, to Margaret Williams, wife of Richard Williams Gent d1764, and also Richard d1765. The second in a shaped surround with pointed head and on shaped corbels to Elenae Wynne, daughter of Robert Williams Eirianellt d1711/12. Set into the window sill of the N window is a metal plaque inscribed with the details of monies bequeathed by Catherine Roberts d1756. The E window has stained glass set in geometric patterned designs.  

Listed as a simple, rural church of Medieval origins. Retains Medieval fabric and some C17 features but is largely of C19 character, a simple vernacular building.