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.
Llanrwst lies on the A470 19km south of Conwy and 7km north of Betws-y-Coed. The church is beyond the end on Tan yr Eglwys overlooking the Afon Conwy.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 116 Cadw Listing Notice 3622
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.
The earl of Pembroke destroyed the town of Llanrwst in 1468 so the church was rebuilt in the 1470’#s. The Gwydir Chapel was added in 163-34 by Sir John Wynn, the town was added in early C19, in the late C19 the north aisle was added and restoration took place between 1882 and 1884 by Paley & Allen, architects.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Clwyd 1994 Cadw Listing Notice 3622
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The nave and chancel have no structural division and the roof being at a similar height across the chancel, nave and north aisle, there is an east tower which replaced an earlier bellcote, a south porch and the Gwydir Chapel to the south east corner. It was built in random rubble with pale limestone dressings. The tower is roughly coursed again with rubble stone with limestone dressings. The Gwyndir chapel was built with grey rubble and pale limestone dressings. There are castellations to the top of the tower stepped up to the west to support a cross. There are diagonal buttresses. Three stories with two windows at each side to the bell stage. The porch is gabled with timber at the top and stone below, inside is a Gothic archway. The west gable of the aisle has a Tudor doorway. The Gwydir Chapel is Perpendicular in style with a castellated parapet with pinnacles to the south and stepped buttresses.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Clwyd 1994 Cadw Listing Notice
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 Rood Screen with a loft is the high point of the interior of the church, C16 in origin and something of a hybrid, English in construction and Welsh in detail, a wonderful survivor from the Victorian predilection to remove such features. Situated at the entrance to the chancel, to rood is C15 while the oct is C16. The loft has a vine trail rail and parapet with vaulted and pinnacled niches. The parapet is on a bressumer with a vine trail and oak leaf and acorn bands. There are twelve bays to the screen with open traceried heads one of which shows the instruments of the Passion while another shows pigs eating acorns. It is canopied with vaulting and a panelled soffit and to the west there are straight-sided pendant arches. The central doorway has a square frame and cambered heads. There are some open traceried panels in the wainscoting flanking doorway and stone stairs on the north side from the Victorian restoration. The nave has C15 an arch-braced roof with small cusped wind braces. The aisle has a similar roof in a lighter colour. The arcade is of three bays with elongated octagonal piers. There is a wood panelled altar and a reredos. On the north side of the chancel is an organ chamber and vestry. The font, square on plan the bowl is of weird organic forms. The stained glass: ‘The Risen Christ with Symbols of the Four Evangelist’, William Aikman, 1939; ‘Agnus Dei’, 1840. The bell was cast in 1822 by Walker of Chester
At the southern side of the church is the entrance to the Gwydir Chapel. Its interior retains its C17 fixtures and fittings which are in an ‘Artful renaissance’ style. Above is a very low-pitched camber-beam roof with decorative bosses, heraldic shields with the date ‘1634’ and the initials ‘I:W’ and ‘R:W’. There is a stone flagged floor in alternate slabs and grey slate and brown lias stone. To the north is a broad arch from the body of the church with wooden panelling and a door with unmitred mouldings. Above the door is a wooden sculpture of an eagle. Rising to about 1.5m is panelling with pierced and traceried upper panels. The stalls have pierced fronts to round headed arches and finails in the form of heads. With similar panelling to the wall is the lectern while the wooden communion table has turned legs. The fine C13 coffin is said to be that of Llewelyn the Great, it has sunk quatrefoil panelling.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Clwyd 1994 Cadw Listing Notice 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.