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St Gwynhoydl's Church, Llangwnnadl

Coordinates: 52°52′00″N 4°39′45″W / 52.8667°N 4.6624°W / 52.8667; -4.6624
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St Gwynhoydl's Church
The church's "extraordinary" three-nave plan
St Gwynhoydl's Church is located in Gwynedd
St Gwynhoydl's Church
St Gwynhoydl's Church
Location in Gwynedd
52°52′00″N 4°39′45″W / 52.8667°N 4.6624°W / 52.8667; -4.6624
LocationLlangwnnadl, Gwynedd
CountryWales
DenominationAnglican (Church in Wales)
History
StatusParish church
Founder(s)Gwynhoydl
DedicationGwynhoydl
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade I
Designated19 October 1971
Administration
DioceseBangor
ArchdeaconryMeirionnydd
BeneficeSynod Meirionnydd
ParishBro 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.

Background

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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

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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]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Haslam, Orbach & Voelcker 2009, pp. 443–444.
  2. ^ Bartrum 1993, p. 668.
  3. ^ Bartrum 1993, p. 403.
  4. ^ a b c Cadw. "Church of St Gwynhoydl (Grade I) (4378)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  5. ^ a b "St Gwynhoydl's Church, Llangwnadl (43745)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b "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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