St Cyngar's Church, Hope

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St Cyngar's Church
St Cynfarch and St Cyngar's Church
Hope Parish Church
St Cynfarch and St Cyngar's Church, Hope, Flintshire (9).JPG
The church's tower and its western end
St Cyngar's Church, Hope
53°07′06″N3°01′59″W / 53.1182°N 3.03295°W / 53.1182; -3.03295
Location Hope, Flintshire
AddressHawarden Road, Hope LL12 9NG
CountryWales
Denomination Church in Wales
Website hopeparishchurch.org
History
Dedication Cynfarch and Cyngar
Architecture
Years built12th century
Administration
DistrictRhos-a-Mynydd Mission Area
Diocese Diocese of St Asaph
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameChurch of St Cyngar
Designated7 February 1962; Amended 6 May 1998
Reference no.27 [1]

St Cynfarch and St Cyngar's Church, or simply St Cyngar's Church, or Hope Parish Church, is a Grade I listed parish church located in Hope, Flintshire, Wales. The Church in Wales church is dedicated to the Celtic saints Cynfarch and Cyngar. It is considered to be Flintshire's oldest church.

Contents

Background and congregation

The church is located in Hope, Flintshire. [2] The church building is located prominently within a raised circular Celtic llan in the centre of Hope. [1] [3] It has served as the historical centre point of the local community, therefore serving as a centre for communal events in the village. [4]

Operationally it is located in the Rhos-a-Mynydd Mission Area within the Diocese of St Asaph of the Church in Wales. [5] It operates alongside the Emmanuel Church in Penyffordd. [5]

It is dedicated to the Celtic saints Cynfarch of the 5th century, and Cyngar of the 6th century, with both being descendants of Cunedda. [6] [7] Although dedicated to both saints, it has been sometimes described as to only be dedicated to only one of the two at various times. [8] In particular, its dedication to Cynfarch has been occasionally forgotten, with the church sometimes described as only named after St. Cyngar. Additionally, the church being connected to Cynfarch has been disputed, with historical references regularly omitting the saint. [3]

History

The current church has its origins to the 12th century, with a small stone church known to have been constructed in the late 12th century. These 12th century structures now form the south aisle and around the font. [6] [9] A church on this site was mentioned by 1254. [1] Churches by this time were likely of a wooden construction. These were damaged during the Edwardian conquest. [3] [7] Parts of the current church date to the 1280s, [7] although the oldest part dates to 1180. [10] Remains of a Celtic cross have suggested it may have served as a place of worship since the 9th or 10th centuries. [10]

In the 13th and 14th centuries, the church was gradually extended, eastwards and westwards respectively. Between 1490 and 1500, it was extended northwards [6] and its tower was first added in c. 1500, [9] constructed over three stages, completing in 1568. [7]

The church is considered the oldest church in Flintshire. [10] It has strong ties with the Trevor family of Plas Teg hall, with the church's south aisle becoming the Trevor Chapel in the early 17th century. [10]

Structure

The building has a Perpendicular double-naved appearance with a 16th-century tower. [2] The tower is battlemented and located to the west. It is made of local freestone and sandstone rubble and dressings, with slate roofs. [1]

The church's tower was first built in c. 1500, [9] as an independent structure in three stages. It was joined to the nave between 1520 and 1560. [6] It houses a bell chamber and a clock mechanism. Above them is a ring of six bells, serving as a World War I memorial, constructed in 1921. [6]

The church's large east window illustrating Te Deum comprises fragments that were put back together in 1730 from the remains of ancient glass. [6] [9]

The side chapel was reconstructed in 2000, following the development of dry rot threatening the church's structure. [9] During the same restoration, remains of a Celtic cross were discovered suggesting the site has been a place of worship since the 9th or 10th centuries. [10]

The church building is a Grade I listed building. [11] While the church's railed tombs, [12] [13] [14] steps and walls, [15] [16] sundial base, [17] vault, [18] [19] and gates [16] are Grade II listed.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Cadw (7 February 1962). "Church of St Cyngar (Grade I) (27)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust - Projects - Longer - Historic Churches - Flintshire Churches Survey - Hope". www.cpat.org.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "St Cynfarch and St Cyngar". Curious Clwyd. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  4. ↑ "Royal Connection". Hope Community Council. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  5. 1 2 "HOPE & PENYFFORDD". HOPE & PENYFFORDD. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Hope History". HOPE & PENYFFORDD. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Church of Saints Cyngar and Cynfarch, Hope - History Points". historypoints.org. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "Hope | Clwyd Family History". www.clwydfhs.org.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Hope St Cynfarch & St Cyngar | National Churches Trust". www.nationalchurchestrust.org. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Discover Hope & Caergwrle" (PDF). Flintshire County Council.
  11. ↑ "St Cynfarch, Hope". heritage.churchinwales.org.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  12. ↑ Cadw (6 May 1998). "Pair of Railed Tombs to S of St Cyngar's Church (Grade II) (19768)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  13. ↑ Cadw (6 May 1998). "Railed and Raised Tomb immediately W of St Cyngar's Church (Grade II) (19766)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  14. ↑ Cadw (6 May 1998). "Railed Tomb Monument 30m NW of St Cyngar's Church (Grade II) (19767)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  15. ↑ Cadw (6 May 1998). "Parapetted Steps and Churchyard Walls to SW of St Cyngar's Church (Grade II) (19759)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  16. 1 2 Cadw (6 May 1998). "Steps, Gates and Gatepiers to W of St Cyngar's Church (Grade II) (19758)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  17. ↑ Cadw (6 May 1998). "Sundial Base at St Cyngar's Church (Grade II) (19757)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  18. ↑ Cadw (6 May 1998). "Railed Vault Structure immediately N of the Tower at St Cyngar's Church (Grade II) (19765)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  19. ↑ Cadw (6 May 1998). "Group of Three Vault Structures immediately N of St Cyngar's Church (Grade II) (19764)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 5 September 2024.
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