The name or dedication of the church.
This identifies the church type. Most churches are parish churches which means they serve a specific parish or area. Other types such as chapel, daughter and mission are mostly historic designations as many are now also parish churches. Please note that former churches are no longer used for worhsip and may be in private ownership.
A unique identification number given to every church.
The name of the diocese in which the church is located.
The name of the archdeaconry in which the church is located.
This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.
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There are 3 levels of listing: Grade I, II* & II. The majority of buildings which are of special interest are Grade II. A much smaller number of particularly important buildings are listed as Grade II*. Buildings of exceptional interest (approx 2% of the total number of listed buildings) are Grade I.
Ancient monuments and archaeological remains of national importance are protected by law. Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service is responsible for compiling a schedule (list) of these ancient monuments, some of which can be found in churches and churchyards. Examples can include churchyard crosses and the archaeological remains of previous churches or buildings on the site.
There are three National Parks in Wales: Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons. These protect 20 percent of the land in Wales, including precious landscapes, habitats, villages and heritage sites.
There are over 500 conservation areas in Wales. They are designated by local planning authorities for their special architectural and historic interest.
The Buildings at Risk register is managed by Cadw (the Welsh Government’s historic environment service) in order to identify the number and type of listed buildings at risk in Wales.
It is often extremely difficult to determine a precise date of construction for a church as many have been extensively altered over time. Church Heritage Cymru therefore shows a date range within which a church is believed to have been constructed. The dates are as follows: Early Medieval (pre 1066), Medieval (post 1066 to 1540), Post Medieval (1540 to 1837), Victorian/Pre WWI (1837 to 1914) and Modern (post 1914).
This is a very brief summary of the church's main features. More detailed nformation can be found in the other fields and pages (tabs) in this database.
Useful information is displayed here for people wishing to visit the church. This may include things like opening hours, catering & toilet facilities, parking, etc.
If the church has its own website the details will be displayed here.
Any further sources of information for the church will be listed here (eg. links to other historic databases).
This is the Ordnance Survey (OS) reference for the location of the church. Some locations will be approximate as this data is continuously being refined and updated.
This is the name of the Local Authoirity within which the church is located.
This describes how the church relates to its immediate and wider environment, sometimes called its setting. It describes how the church contributes to its landscape or townscape and how these things collectively contribute to the character of the area.
Ruthin is 13km south east of Denbigh on the A525 and 37km south west of Chester on the A494. The church is in the hill top position on the north side of St Peter’s Square in the town centre.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 116 Cadw Listing Notice 905
This is a description of the ground plan of the church.
If known, the dimensions (measurements) of the church ground plan will be displayed here.
If the footrprint (area) of the church is known, it will be displayed here.
A description of the history and archaeology of the church and its site.
A Collegiate parish church was founded here in 1310 by John de Grey, Marcher Lord of Ruthin with a community of Augustian Bonhommes (an order of Friars) were based next to the church. The church has been listed as a rare and fine example of a Collegiate parish church retaining features of exceptional architectural interest including a highly decorated late medieval roof of the Denbighshire type. The original chancel was demolished in 1663 and further repairs were undertaken by the Crown in 1714. Both the Myddleton and Watkin Williams Wynn families contributed to repairs to the west end in 1722. RK Penson engaged in two separate restorations between 1854 and 1859.
Reference Buildings of Wales– Clwyd 2003 Cadw Listing Notice 905 CPAT Denbighshire Historic Churches Survey
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church was originally built with medium sized regularly coursed blocks of dressed red sandstone together with a smaller amount of small to medium sized limestone blocks. The roofs are slates with plain, grey ridge tiles save for the porch which has red ridge tiles, the walls of which were built of snecked stone under a steeple gable roof. The church has two parallel chambers containing the nave and chancel to the south and an aisle and organ chamber to the north. The tower and spire were rebuilt above the first stage in coursed pink sandstone in 1859.On the south side of the lower stage is an arched bronze plate – probably a sun-dial. The upper stage is stepped in with a large recessed panel with a corbel table to each face with geometrical louvred hoodmould and an open ironwork clock is attached to each louvre. Above is a broached spire surmounted by a weather vane.
Information about any noteable architects, artists, people, or events associated with the church.
Information about any important features and building fabric.
If known, a list of the church's major building material/s will be displayed here.
Any renewable energy systems the church is using will be listed here.
This section gives a general description of the interior of the church. Further details of any important internal fixtures and fittings will be listed below.
The two chambers are separated by a Decorated five-bay arcade of red sandstone supported by octagonal shafts with notches to the diagonal faces with scroll-moulded capitals and supporting pointed arches with two orders of chamfered mouldings, the hoodmould has head bosses to the haunches. Above the north chamber is a fine panelled roof the carving of which gives it a date to 1485-1508. It has highly ornate tie beams with a trefoil freeze, the panels are carved with traceried circles and badges. The south chamber, the C16 roof of the present nave is of four-bays while that of the chancel is of four, narrower bays which were painted on1965-6. In 1859 the chancel was created with a stone flagged floor up one step. The wooden choir stalls have pierced decoration and are late C19.earlyC20. The moulded wooden altar rails stan on wooden posts with decorative braces. The altar table said to date from 1621 has turned baluster legs and a guilloche frieze. The pale wooden reredos is probably C120. To the right of the altar is a fine sedilia with four sided colonettes with foliate capitals supporting open ogee arches under pedimented stone canopies. At the front of the church is an octagonal wooden pulpit with blind tracery arches. Both chambers have a central aisle with plain wooden seating. Towards the west end of the nave there is an octagonal font, stone with ornate blind tracery, the octagonal stem has blind lancets and sits on a large platform of a black and white mosaic floor. The large pine organ is at the east end of the aisle hidden by a wooden screen with pierced trefoiled arches and brattishing. The stained glass: ‘Scenes from the Life of Christ’, William Wailes, 1855; ‘The Crucifixion’, 1868; ‘Noah and St John the Baptist’ designed by Augustus Jules Bouvier for James Powell & Sons, 1855. The is also a ‘Decorative’ window and a window with ‘Two Roundels’. The bells: there is one bell cast by Luke Ashton in 1733, six bells cast by John Taylor & Son in 1843, and two bells cast by James Barwell in 1889.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Clwyd 2003 Cadw Listing Notice 905 CPAT Denbighshire Historic Churches Survey Stained Glass in Wales A National Bell Register - George Dawson's Website - Homestead
Information about the church's important internal fixtures and fittings.
Information about the church's important moveable items and artworks.
A description of the ecology of the churchyard.
Information about the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.
Records whether the church has been consecrated.
Records whether there have been burials in the churchyard.
Records whether the churchyard is still being used for burials.
Records whether there are any war graves in the churchyard.
Any important churchyard structures will be listed here.
Signifiance levels are set at high, medium and low.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the relationship of the church to its surrounding area and helps place it within its wider landscape context.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the significance of the historic building fabric of the church.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the historic significance of the interior of the church.
Significance defines what is special about a church. This could be architectural, archaeological, historical or liturgical. Here, it describes the relationship between the church and its community.