St Gwynhoydl's Church, Llangwnnadl

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St Gwynhoydl's Church
St Gwynhoedl's Church, Llangwnnadl, east side and church yard.jpg
The church's "extraordinary" three-nave plan
Gwynedd UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
St Gwynhoydl's Church
Location in Gwynedd
52°52′00″N4°39′45″W / 52.8667°N 4.6624°W / 52.8667; -4.6624
Location Llangwnnadl, Gwynedd
CountryWales
Denomination Anglican (Church in Wales)
History
Status Parish church
Founder(s)Gwynhoydl
Dedication Gwynhoydl
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade I
Designated19 October 1971
Administration
Diocese Bangor
Archdeaconry Meirionnydd
Benefice Synod Meirionnydd
Parish Bro Madryn

St Gwynhoydl's Church is located just north-west of the village of Llangwnnadl, Gwynedd, Wales. The church is dedicated to Gwynhoydl, a 6th-century Welsh saint. The church dates to the 14th or 15th centuries, and was greatly extended in the 16th. It is a Grade I listed building.

Contents

Background

The village of Llangwnnadl stands 45 km (28 mi) south-east of Caernarfon on the northern coast of the Llŷn Peninsula. The church stands just north of the village and is dedicated to Gwynhoydl, a 6th-century Welsh saint. [1] Also spelt Gwynhoedl, he was held to be a son of the legendary figure Seithennin in the genealogical tract Bonedd y Saint , [2] and his feast day is said to have been on 1 January. [3] The church dates from the 14th or 15th centuries, [4] with the additional of the two aisles dating from 1520 to 1530. [5] The church was on the pilgrimage route to St Mary's Abbey on Bardsey Island. [1] [6] It was restored in 1850 by Henry Kennedy, architect to the Diocese of Bangor. [4]

The church remains an active parish church in the Diocese of Bangor and occasional services are held. [7]

Architecture and description

Richard Haslam, Julian Orbach and Adam Voelcker, in their Gwynedd volume of the Buildings of Wales series, record the church's "extraordinary plan – three naves of equal length, the overall width greater than the length". [1] Such a design is rare. The central nave and chancel are combined with a bellcote above. [6] The building material is local rubble, and slate for the roof. [5] Arcades in the interior carry two inscribed panels, one of the Latin inscriptions recording the burial of Saint Gwynhoydl at the site. [1] The church is a Grade I listed building. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Haslam, Orbach & Voelcker 2009, pp. 443–444.
  2. ↑ Bartrum 1993, p. 668.
  3. ↑ Bartrum 1993, p. 403.
  4. 1 2 3 Cadw. "Church of St Gwynhoydl (Grade I) (4378)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  5. 1 2 "St Gwynhoydl's Church, Llangwnadl (43745)". Coflein. RCAHMW . Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Church Heritage Record 3320: St Gwynhoedl, Llangwnadl". Church in Wales . Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  7. ↑ "St Gwynhoedl, Llangwnadl". Church in Wales . Retrieved 9 September 2024.

Sources

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