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.
The church is the most prominent building in the village to be found north of Hanmer Mere and west of the square. The village is on the A525 11 km west of Whitchurch and 19km south east of Wrexham, along the A525.
Reference AA Route Planner OS Map 126 Cadw Listing Notice1658
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 first church was first mentioned in 1110 but was badly damaged by fire in 1463. It was rebuilt as a substantial parish church with a west tower but retaining a humble timber-framed chancel which was replaced in stone in 1720. In 1884 the chancel was restored. In 1889 fire badly damaged the church. Bodley and Garner, architects from London restored the church including new arcades and roofs. The work was completed in 1892 and was closely modelled on the earlier building. The chancel remained roofless until 1935-6 when W D Caröe restored the building.
Reference Buildings of Wales– Clwyd 2003 Cadw Listing Notice 1658
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
The church is now a late Perpendicular church with much in common with the style seen in Cheshire. It has an aisled nave with a narrower and lower chancel, a south porch and a west tower. Ashlar was used to build the church although the medieval and C18 fabric used grey and red sandstones all under shallow pitched graded stone-tile roofs. The 4-bay south aisle is buttressed with diagonal buttresses at the angles, it is embattled with well preserved grotesques at eaves level The three lead rainwater heads survive, two bear the initials ‘EB’ and ‘TS while the third bears the initials ‘IS’. The 3-wstage tower is stepped with buttresses and to the north west and south west there are diagonal buttresses in the lower and middle stages. The tower is topped by a flag pole. A west doorway has ribbed double doors under a 4-centred head with quatrefoils in the spandrels and a square hood mould. On the north side is a one storey blockwork addition. On the south side is a sundial with gnomon while the south and east faces have round clock faces on a lozenge board by Joyce of Whitchurch. Beneath the embattled parapet are gargoyles. The west bay of the south aisle has a C19 porch which enjoys rosettes and foliage in the spandrels under a hood mould, above is the crest of the Hanmer family. The chancel is embattled with C18 Gothic tracery to the windows.
Reference Buildings of Wales – Clwyd 2003 Cadw Listing Notice 1658
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 church has a ahigh and spacious feel to it. The late C19 nave arcades are in the Perpendicular style with piers set diagonally with attached shafts, moulded capitals and 4-centre arches. There are closely-spaced a ached braces to the nave roof with panels matching the original ones while the aisles have cambered tie-beam roofs dating to the C16 which incorporate quatrefoil panels and bosses, the beams are supported on corbel wall posts. The tower arch is hollow chamfered with moulded capitals, beneath it is an early C20 screen which spans the arch. It has Tudor-headed double doors, flanking outer bays and each with linen fold panels below open arches with delicate tracery patterns. The coving has 2 angels bearing HIS monograms and is crowned by brattishing and an achievement. Behind it is an earlier tower arch with segmentally-pointed and dying to the imposts. Beneath the tower are vault springers and a wood ceiling. A stair to the roof starts in the north west corner of the north aisle. Both the nave and aisles have elaborated wooden screens in late medieval style. In the east bay of each aisle us a screen from 1892 comprising panelled dado, delicate open tracery with foliage cornices and brattishing, the south screen encloses a chapel while the north screen encloses the organ. The chancel arch has triple clustered shafts to a pointed arch. Beyond, the chancel roof is a3-bays with tie beams on brackets supporting arched braces to a boarded ceiling. Dating from 1936 are Arts-and-Crafts influenced wooden altar rails incorporating relief foliage to the uprights and an inscription in raised letters. The font, Perpendicular in style and late C19 in date, stands on a stepped plinth, round the sides of the bowl it has alternate Tudor roses and HIS monograms, The simple pews have linenfold panelling to the fronts. Similarly the choir stalls have linenfold fronts between the uprights with relief foliage. The pulpit is of an ornate Perpendicular style with blind arches and shields and with a foliate cornice. The stained glass: ‘The Four Evangelists’ -this is in a medieval style beside the Sea of Galilee, below which are individual scenes from their lives, Shrigley & Hunt, 1936; ‘Abraham and Sarah Entertaining the Three Angels’, C E Kempe & Co Ltd; ‘St Luke Before the Risen Christ’, Shrigley & Hunt, c1967; The Crucifixion with the Virgin Mary and St John with Saints’ and with ‘St Chad and St David in the outer windows, C E Kempe & Co Ltd, c1900; ‘King David’, C E Kempe & Co Ltd, c1900. The church has a ring of six bells cast By John Taylor & Co in 1890.
Reference
Buildings of Wales – Clwyd 2003 Cadw Listing Notice 1658 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.