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.
Caernarfon is 16km west of Bangor along the A487 and the church is on the A4085 just beyond the Roman Fort
Reference
AA Route Planner
OS Map 115
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 ‘mother church’ of Arfon, he parish church of Caernarfon well outside the walled town, Peblig or Publicius the son of the Emperor Maxentius (Macsen Wledig of the dream above) founded a church here in 433 after the Irish were expelled. The church was initially dedicated to St Helen – Elen wife of Macsen Wledig, so Helen wife of the Emperor Constantine. In C13 the church was given to Aberconwy Abbey by Llewelyn the Great. Most of the present fabric is C14 or later save that there is Roman altar stone in the footings of the nave south wall. Work continued into the C16, the north east chapel was built in 1593 and the north transept was extended in 1775. Some restoration occurred in 1839 and more significant work was done in 1884 by R G Thomas of Menai Bridge and this was one of the last thorough going ‘Victorian Restorations’ in the region. Photographs show the pre-restoration interior with a plaster barrel ceiling, all embracing galleries, an organ loft, a Gothic three decker pulpit and box pews.
Buildings of Wales –Gwynedd 2009
Cadw Listings Notice
Gerald of Wales. The Journey through Wales/The Description of Wales.
A description of the exterior of the church and the main features of the churchyard.
This is a cruciform church of some size, largely late Perpendicular in style. Nave and chancel with transepts, north east vestry and (Vaynor) chapel and a west tower. Largely constructed with C14 rubble walls with slate roofs behind coped gables. The three-stage tower was built in two phases – distinguished by a change in the masonry, the lower stage being C14 the second stage C16
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 short nave has a late medieval 4-bay arch-braced roof with two tiers of windbraces and a small bullseye window over the crossing arch. The four centred crossing arch is inscribed 1894. The crossing and north transept have a late medieval arch-braced roof similar to the nave, four of these bays are medieval while the two narrower bays at the north end were added in 1775. The south transept roof is C19 with closely-spaced arched braces. All the roofs have wooden cornices. The chancel arch is of 1894 with hollow-moulded polygonal responds. The chancel roof is of shallow pitched three-bay king-post roof with corbelled brackets and a cornice with quatrefoil frieze. The Vaynor chapel retains is original two-bay arch braced-roof with cusped windbraces. A Newel stair is to be found in the tower. There is a C19 stone reredos in the chancel with a C14 trefoiled piscina. A later piscina to be found in the south transept, with cusped ogee heads and a corbelled basin enriched with relief foliage. The C15 plain octagonal font is on a pedestal while the corbelled polygonal pulpit has Gothic panelling and is late C19. Double wrought iron gates cross beneath the chancel arch with flanked railings on a stone dado, enriched with scrollwork. The stained glass: ‘Christ with Disciples’ Mayer& Co’, 1893; ‘The Supper at Emmaus and Christ Feeding the Multitude’, John Hall & Sons, 1912; ‘Crucifixion with Biblical Scenes’, Lavers & Westlake, 1894; ‘Christ Blessing the Children Brought by their Mothers’, Lavers & Westlake, 1894; ‘Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and will give you rest’ Mayer & Co, 1892; ‘St George & St Martin of Tours’, Christopher Whall, 1920; ‘Christ walking on the water’, Lavers & Westlake, 1897
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.