Church of St Nefydd and St Mary, Llannefydd

The Church of St Nefydd and St Mary is an active parish church in the village of Llannefydd, Conwy County Borough, Wales. The village lies 5m south-east of Abergele. Cadw records that the present church dates from c.1550, although it certainly had earlier origins. It was restored in 1859 and again in 1908–1909 by Henry Harold Hughes. The church is designated by Cadw as a Grade I listed building.

Church of St Nefydd and St Mary, Llannefydd
Church of St Nefydd and St Mary, Llannefydd is located in Conwy
Church of St Nefydd and St Mary, Llannefydd
Church of St Nefydd and St Mary, Llannefydd
Location in Conwy County Borough
53°13′22″N 3°31′34″W / 53.2227°N 3.5261°W / 53.2227; -3.5261
OS grid referenceSH 982 705
LocationLlannefydd, Conwy County Borough
CountryWales
DenominationChurch in Wales
History
Statusactive
DedicationSaint Nefydd and Saint Mary
Associated peopleReverend M D Pritchard (priest in charge)
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade I
Designated30 January 1968
Architect(s)Henry Harold Hughes (restoration)
Architectural typeChurch
Groundbreaking1500, with earlier origins
Administration
DioceseSt Asaph
ArchdeaconrySt Asaph
DeaneryDenbigh
ParishMission Area of Denbigh

History

edit

The Church of St Nefydd and St Mary stands in the centre of the village of Llannefydd, 5m south-east of Abergele and close to the border with Denbighshire. The dedications are to Saint Nefydd, a sixth-century Welsh saint of whom almost nothing is known beyond his reputedly being a grandson of Brychan, king of Brycheiniog, and Saint Mary.[1] Nefydd supposedly founded the church in the 5th century, but there is no documentary evidence relating to it which predates 1291.[1] Cadw dates the present church to c.1500, while acknowledging that this was certainly a rebuilding of an earlier church.[2] The circular churchyard and the dedication suggest its origins as a clas church.[2]

The church was restored in the mid-19th century and again between 1908 and 1909 by Henry Harold Hughes.[2] The church remains an active parish church in the Diocese of St Asaph and regular services are held.[3]

Architecture and description

edit

St Nefydd and St Mary's consists of a double nave, a western bellcote and a south porch. The building material is mainly local limestone with roofing in Welsh slate.[1] Edward Hubbard, in his Clwyd volume in the Buildings of Wales series, describes it as a "double-nave Perpendicular church, and a particularly pleasing one".[4] The pulpit is in the Arts & Crafts style and was designed by Hughes.[5] The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) records a Hanoverian coat of arms painted on slate.[6]

St Nefydd and St Mary is a Grade I listed building. Its Cadw listing record calls it a "fine and well-preserved late medieval parish church".[2] A bier house and a sundial in the churchyard are both listed at Grade II.[7][8]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Eastern Conwy Churches Survey: Church of St Mary, Llannefydd". Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Cadw. "Church of St Nefydd and St Mary (Grade I) (199)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Ss Nefydd and Mary, Llannefydd". Church in Wales. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  4. ^ Hubbard 2013, pp. 200–201.
  5. ^ "Church Heritage Record 199: Ss Nefydd and Mary". Church in Wales. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  6. ^ "St Nefydd and St Mary's Church, Llannefydd (309165)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  7. ^ Cadw. "Bier-house at the Church of St Nefydd and St Mary (Grade II) (19852)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  8. ^ Cadw. "Sundial and base at the Church of St Nefydd and St Mary (Grade II) (19851)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 7 September 2024.

Sources

edit
edit