St Peulan's Church, Llanbeulan

Last updated
St Peulan's Church, Llanbeulan
Eglwys Peulan Sant, Llanbeulan.jpg
St Peulan's Church, showing the chapel (left) and chancel (right)
Isle of Anglesey UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
St Peulan's Church, Llanbeulan
Location in Anglesey
Coordinates: 53°15′05″N4°26′27″W / 53.251321°N 4.440883°W / 53.251321; -4.440883
OS grid reference SH 372 754
Location Llanbeulan, Anglesey
Country Wales, United Kingdom
Denomination Church in Wales
History
Status Church
FoundedUnknown
Dedication St Peulan
Architecture
Functional status Redundant church in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
Heritage designation Grade II*
Designated5 April 1971
Style Medieval
Specifications
Length Nave: 27 ft 6 in (8.4 m)
Chancel: 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
WidthNave: 15 ft 6 in (4.7 m)
Chancel: 11 ft 9 in (3.6 m)
Other dimensionsSouth chapel: 11 feet 3 inches by 16 feet (3.4 by 4.90 m)
Materials Rubble masonry, dressed with gritstone

St Peulan's Church, Llanbeulan is a redundant Anglican church in Llanbeulan, in Anglesey, north Wales. The nave, which is the oldest part of the building, dates from the 12th century, with a chancel and side chapel added in the 14th century. The church has a font of early date, possibly from the first half of the 11th century: one historian has said that it would initially have been used as an altar and that "as an altar of the pre-Norman period it is a unique survivor in Wales and, indeed, in Britain". [1]

Contents

The redundant church has been in the care of the charity, the Friends of Friendless Churches since 2005. It is a Grade II* listed building, a designation given to "particularly important buildings of more than special interest", [2] because it is a medieval church of "typical Anglesey type" that has retained its simple character despite 19th-century alterations. [3]

History and location

The date of foundation of the church in Llanbeulan is not known for certain, although it is said that a church was founded on this site in 630 by St Peulan. [4] He was a disciple of the Anglesey saint Cybi. [5] The earliest parts of the building date from the 12th century. It was the parish church of the area, and had a chapel of ease at St Mary's Church, Tal-y-llyn (now also redundant). [3] In November 1349, records of an inquisition in Beaumaris show that the priest serving St Peulan's was one of a number of Anglesey clergymen to have died about that time, which was when the Black Death was affecting Anglesey. [6] During the 19th century, a significant amount of church rebuilding and restoration work took place throughout Anglesey, and St Peulan's was given a new roof and new internal fittings at this time. [3] It is now a redundant church and has been in the hands of the Friends of Friendless Churches since 2004; it is one of four churches on Anglesey for which the charity has responsibility. [1] [7] The charity holds a 999-year lease with effect from 10 June 2005. [8]

The church gave its name to the parish of Llanbeulan: the Welsh word llan originally meant "enclosure" and then "church", and "-beulan" is a modified form of the saint's name. [9] It is in a thinly populated part of rural Anglesey, about 1.75 kilometres (1.09 mi) to the south-west of the village of Gwalchmai, and about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the south-east of Bryngwran. A grassed track runs from the road to the church. [3] [7] To the east of the church, the churchyard contains a war grave of a Royal Welsh Fusiliers soldier of the First World War. [10]

Architecture and fittings

The church is built from rubble masonry, dressed with gritstone. [3] The nave measures 27 feet 6 inches by 15 feet 6 inches (8.4 by 4.7 m), the chancel is 15 feet 6 inches by 11 feet 9 inches (4.7 by 3.6 m), and the south chapel is 11 feet 3 inches by 16 feet (3.4 by 4.9 m). [11] The building has a slate roof with copings of stone. At the west end, there is a gabled bellcote with one bell; crosses made of iron are fixed to the roofs of the chancel and south chapel. The nave of the church, which has two bays, was probably built in the 12th century. [3] An entrance at the west end of the nave has been blocked up and plastered over on the outside. [12] The chancel, which is smaller than the nave, and a chapel (on the south side of the building attached to the nave) were added in the 14th century, and the arches dividing the nave from the chapel and the chancel are of this date. The entrance door, from the 19th century, is positioned on the east side of the chapel and has a pointed archway. Alongside the doorway is a stone inscribed with the year 1637, and next to that is a round-headed small window dating from the 12th century, reset in the chapel wall of later date. [3] It has been suggested that this window may have been reused from the blocked nave entrance. [12]

The east window of the chancel, from the 15th century, has two lights topped with trefoils and decorated with carved heads. There is also a blocked 14th-century window in the chancel's north wall and an early 16th-century window in the south wall. Other windows in the church date from the 17th century (chapel south window) and 19th century (nave). [3] The pews date from the 17th century: one stall in the chancel bears an inscribed panel of wood, dated 1664, recording that it is the seat of William Bold of Treyrddol. [3] [5] There are a number of memorials inside the church from the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries. The church's 19th-century fittings, such as the pulpit and altar rail, are plain. [3]

The most notable feature of the church is its font, which dates from the late 12th century, [3] or possibly even the first part of the 11th century. [7] It measures 2 feet (61.0 cm) by 2 feet 11 inches (88.9 cm) (external measurements) and is 11 inches (27.9 cm) deep. [4] It is rectangular and decorated on three sides. One of the shorter sides has a cross with four arms of equal length imposed on a ring; at the base are two small hemispheres, and the design is framed with bands (some plain, some decorated with chevrons or a twisted rope pattern). [12] It has been suggested that the hemispheres are bee skeps. [5] One of the longer sides has a row of arches forming an arcade above a pattern of lozenges. The other shorter side has a chequerwork pattern. [12] The archeologist David Petts has noted that it is one of a number of fonts on Anglesey that has an area with little or no carving, perhaps because it was never anticipated that the plain side of the font would be seen or because the font was carved after being put in its position in the church. Although similar in style to other Anglesey fonts, its rectangular shape is "unique", according to Petts, and the cross on one side "finds no parallels among fonts of this period." [13]

One writer, the historian Peter Lord, has suggested that it was initially used as an altar. Accepting the 11th-century dating, Lord stated that "as an altar of the pre-Norman period it is a unique survivor in Wales and, indeed, in Britain". [1] Petts considers this "unlikely", suggesting that it may originally have been a reliquary. [13] The Friends of Friendless Churches describes the font as the building's "chief glory". [7] It has also been called "the best of Anglesey's remarkable Romanesque series." [12] It has similarities of design and style with the fonts of two other churches on Anglesey (St Llwydian's Church, Heneglwys and St Iestyn's Church, Llaniestyn) and with one of the stone crosses at St Seiriol's Church, Penmon. [12]

Assessment

The church is a Grade II* listed building – the second-highest (of three) grade of listing, designating "particularly important buildings of more than special interest". [2] It was given this status on 5 April 1971, and has been listed because it is "a rural Medieval church retaining its simple character." [3] It is described by Cadw (the Welsh Assembly Government body responsible for the built heritage of Wales) as a church "of typical Anglesey type", where the 19th-century restoration work has "retained the simplicity of design and construction", and also the church's medieval character. [3]

In the 19th century, the writer Samuel Lewis said that it was "small and of rude workmanship", but had "several curious features" such as the font that made it "valuable". [4] The antiquarian Angharad Llwyd, writing in 1833, described it as "a small cruciform structure, situated in a little barren valley", with the south transept "bearing evidence of very great antiquity." [14] She stated that there were some windows "in the later English style, of good design, especially the east window of the chancel, which is a very superior composition." [14]

Related Research Articles

St Beunos Church, Penmorfa Church in Gwynedd, Wales

St Beuno's Church, Penmorfa, is a redundant church near the settlement of Penmorfa, some 2 miles (3 km) to the northwest of Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Wales. It is designated by Cadw as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.

St Cristioluss Church, Llangristiolus Church in Wales

St Cristiolus's Church, Llangristiolus is a medieval church near the village of Llangristiolus, in Anglesey, north Wales. The village, about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the building, takes its name from the church. Reputedly founded by St Cristiolus in 610, the present building dates from the 12th and 13th centuries. Alterations were made in the 16th century, when the large east window in Perpendicular style was added to the chancel – a window which has been described by one guide to the buildings of north Wales as "almost too big to fit" in the wall. Some restoration work took place in the mid-19th century, when further windows were added and the chancel largely rebuilt.

St Marys Church, Tal-y-llyn Church in Wales

St Mary's Church, Tal-y-llyn is a medieval church near Aberffraw in Anglesey, north Wales. It was originally a chapel of ease for the parish church of St Peulan's, Llanbeulan, but the township that it once served, Tal-y-llyn, no longer exists. It was declared a redundant church in the early 1990s, and has been in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches since 1999. Services are held once per month during part of the year.

St Iestyns Church, Llaniestyn Church in Anglesey, Wales

St Iestyn's Church, Llaniestyn is a medieval church in Llaniestyn, Anglesey, in Wales. A church is said to have been founded here by St Iestyn in the 7th century, with the earliest parts of the present building dating from the 12th century. The church was extended in the 14th century, with further changes over the coming years. It contains a 12th-century font and a 14th-century memorial stone to Iestyn, from the same workshop as the stone to St Pabo at St Pabo's Church, Llanbabo.

St Cwyllogs Church, Llangwyllog Church in Wales

St Cwyllog's Church, Llangwyllog, is a medieval church near Llangwyllog, in Anglesey, north Wales. St Cwyllog founded a church here in the 6th century, although the exact date is unknown. The existence of a church here was recorded in 1254 and parts of the present building may date from around 1200. Other parts are from the 15th century, with an unusual annexe added in the 16th century. The church contains some 18th-century fittings, including a rare Georgian three-decker pulpit and reading desk.

St Marys Church, Derwen Church in Denbighshire, Wales

St Mary's Church, Derwen, is a redundant church in the centre of the village of Derwen, Denbighshire, Wales. It is designated by Cadw as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.

St Brothens Church, Llanfrothen Church in Gwynedd, Wales

St Brothen's Church, Llanfrothen, is a redundant church at the edge of the village of Llanfrothen, Gwynedd, Wales. It is designated by Cadw as a Grade I listed building because it is "a fine Medieval church retaining much of exterior and interior interest". It is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches.

St Baglans Church, Llanfaglan Church in Gwynedd, Wales

St Baglan's Church, Llanfaglan, is a redundant church in the parish of Llanfaglan, Gwynedd, Wales. It is designated by Cadw as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches. It stands in an isolated position in a field some 150 metres (164 yd) from a minor road.

Old Church of St Afran, St Ieuan and St Sannan, Llantrisant Church in Anglesey, Wales

The Old Church of St Afran, St Ieuan and St Sannan, Llantrisant, is a redundant church in the settlement of Llantrisant, Anglesey, Wales. It is designated by Cadw as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches. It is set in an isolated location off a country road and is adjacent to a farmstead.

St Davids Church, Llangeview Church in Monmouthshire, Wales

St David's Church, Llangeview, is a redundant church sited in a round churchyard adjacent to the junction of the A449 and A472 roads 1 mile (1.6 km) to the east of the town of Usk in Monmouthshire, Wales. It has been designated by Cadw as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches. It is Grade I listed because of its "exceptional interior" including a 15th-century rood-loft and "rare pre-Victorian box pews and fittings". The church stands in a churchyard that is almost circular, and is surrounded by a bank and the traces of a ditch.

St Figaels Church, Llanfigael Church in Anglesey, Wales

St Figael's Church, Llanfigael, is a redundant church in the hamlet of Llanfigael, Anglesey, Wales. It has been designated by Cadw as a Grade II listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches. The church is considered by Cadw to be particularly notable because of its "retaining its early 19th-century interior virtually intact".

St Marys Church, Pentraeth Church in Wales

St Mary's Church, Pentraeth is a small medieval parish church in the village of Pentraeth, in Anglesey, north Wales. The date of construction is unknown, but is probably from some time between the 12th to 14th centuries. A church dedicated to St Mary was recorded here in 1254, but there is a tradition that there was an older church dedicated to St Geraint, an early British saint. Some medieval stonework remains in three walls of the building. A chapel was added to the south side in the 16th or 17th century. The church was altered and refurbished during the 19th century, including an extensive rebuilding by Henry Kennedy, the architect for the Diocese of Bangor, in 1882. St Mary's is still used for worship by the Church in Wales, and is one of three churches in a combined parish. Its conservation is specifically included in the aims of a Chester-based charity that promotes health and the arts in Anglesey and the north-west of England.

St Tyfrydogs Church, Llandyfrydog Church in Wales

St Tyfrydog's Church, Llandyfrydog is a small medieval church, in Llandyfrydog, Anglesey, north Wales. The date of establishment of a church on this site is unknown, but one 19th-century Anglesey historian says that it was about 450. The oldest parts of the present building are dated to about 1400, with the chancel dating from the late 15th or early 16th century. It is built from rough, small, squared stones, dressed with limestone. One of the windows on the south side is raised to illuminate the pulpit, a decision that in the eyes of one 19th-century commentator "disfigures the building."

St Ederns Church, Bodedern Church in Wales

St Edern's Church, Bodedern is a medieval parish church in the village of Bodedern, in Anglesey, north Wales. Although St Edern established a church in the area in the 6th century, the oldest parts of the present building date from the 14th century. Subsequent alterations include the addition of some windows in the 15th century, and a chancel, transept and porch in the 19th century, when the nave walls were largely rebuilt. Stained glass was also inserted into the windows of the chancel and transept.

St Eugrads Church, Llaneugrad Church in Wales

St Eugrad's Church, Llaneugrad is an isolated church near the village of Marian-glas, in Anglesey, north Wales. A church was supposedly founded here by St Eugrad in about 605, although the earliest parts of the present structure are the nave, chancel and chancel arch, which date from the 12th century. A side chapel was added to the north in the 16th century, and some moderate restoration work was carried out in the 19th century. It contains a 12th-century font, a 13th-century carved stone depicting the crucifixion, and a memorial to one of the officers killed when the Royal Charter sank off Anglesey in 1859.

St Beunos Church, Aberffraw Church in Wales

St Beuno's Church, Aberffraw is a 12th-century parish church in Anglesey, north Wales. A church was established in Aberffraw in the 7th century by St Beuno, who became the abbot of Clynnog Fawr, Gwynedd. St Beuno's may have been used as a royal chapel during the early Middle Ages, as the princes of Gwynedd had a court in Aberffraw. The oldest parts of the church date from the 12th century, although it was considerably enlarged in the 16th century when a second nave was built alongside the existing structure, with the wall in between replaced by an arcade of four arches. Restoration work in 1840 uncovered a 12th-century arch in the west wall, which may have been the original chancel arch or a doorway to a western tower that has been lost. The church also has a 13th-century font, some memorials from the 18th century, and two 18th-century copper collecting shovels.

St Marys Church, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy Church in Wales

St Mary's Church, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy is a medieval parish church in the north-west of Anglesey, north Wales. The date of foundation of the church, which is in the village of Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy, is unknown, but the oldest parts date from the 11th or 12th century. It has twice been enlarged: in the 15th century, when the chancel was rebuilt, and in the 16th century, when a chapel was added to the south of the chancel, separated by three arches. The tower at the west end is from the 17th century. A south porch of unknown date has been converted into a vestry, and the church is now entered through the tower.

St Cynfarwys Church, Llechgynfarwy Church in Wales

St Cynfarwy's Church is a medieval parish church in Llechgynfarwy, Anglesey, north Wales. The first church in the vicinity was established by St Cynfarwy in about 630, but no structure from that time survives. The present building contains a 12th-century baptismal font, indicating the presence of a church at that time, although extensive rebuilding in 1867 removed the datable features of the previous edifice.

St Peters Church, Llanbedrgoch Church in Wales

St Peter's Church, Llanbedrgoch, is a small medieval parish church near the village of Llanbedrgoch in Anglesey, north Wales. The oldest parts of the building date from the 15th century; it was extended in the 17th century and restored twice in the 19th century. The doorway is decorated with carvings of two human heads, one wearing a mitre. The church contains a reading desk made from 15th-century bench ends, one carved with a mermaid holding a mirror and comb.

St Michaels Church, Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog Church in Anglesey, Wales

St Michael's Church, Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog, is a former parish church in Anglesey, Wales, which is now closed and in ruins. The structure dates from the 15th century and a chapel was added to the north side in the 17th century. A replacement church was built elsewhere in the parish in 1847, and the old church was closed, partly demolished and abandoned. Some restoration work has taken place in the 21st century and some occasional services have been held.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Larner, Catherine (15 June 2007). "Brought back from neglect and decay". The Church Times . Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  2. 1 2 What is listing? (PDF). Cadw. 2005. p. 6. ISBN   1-85760-222-6 . Retrieved 2010-07-11.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Cadw. "Church of St. Peulan  (Grade II*) (5320)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Lewis, Samuel (1849). "Llanbeulan". A Topographical Dictionary of Wales . Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 Kinross, John. "Anglesey". Discovering the Smallest Churches in Wales. The History Press. pp.  22–24. ISBN   978-0-7524-4101-6.
  6. ↑ Carr, Antony (2010). "The Black Death in Anglesey". Transactions of the Anglesey Antiquarian Society. The Anglesey Antiquarian Society: 37.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Llanbeulan St Peulan". Friends of Friendless Churches. Archived from the original on 1 July 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
  8. ↑ Saunders, Matthew (2010). Saving Churches. London: Frances Lincoln. pp. 45–46, 122. ISBN   978-0-7112-3154-2.
  9. ↑ "Religion and creed in place names". BBC Wales . Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  10. ↑ "Lewis, Richard". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire (1968) [1937]. "Llanbeulan". An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Anglesey. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. p. 40.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Haslam, Richard; Orbach, Julian; Voelcker, Adam (2009). "Anglesey: Llanbeulan". The Buildings of Wales: Gwynedd. Yale University Press. p. 142. ISBN   978-0-300-14169-6.
  13. 1 2 Petts, David (2009). The early medieval church in Wales. The History Press. pp. 102, 106. ISBN   978-0-7524-4102-3.
  14. 1 2 Llwyd, Angharad (2007) [1833]. A History of the Island of Mona. Llansadwrn, Anglesey: Llyfrau Magma. p. 109. ISBN   1-872773-73-7.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.