Christ Church

Cadw's description

Location

Forms the focal point of the small hillside hamlet of Bryn y Maen, approx 3km S of the town.

History

The church was built by Mrs Eleanor Frost, in memory of her husband Charles, in 1897. Eleanor Frost cam from a humble local background, married into a wealthy family, and lived at Min-y-don, Old Colwyn, before returning to Bryn y Maen on the death of her husband. The architects of the church were Douglas and Fordham of Chester, and the builder was Thomas Jones of Caernarvon.

Exterior

Square cut, randomly coursed limestone with Helsby sandstone dressings and green slate roof. Nave with narrow lean-to S aisle, and gabled S porch with door in its E wall. Massive tower over crossing, with shallow transepts to either side, and chancel. Perpendicular style with panelled tracery to windows. West window of 4 lights and 3 aisle windows, each of 4 lights. Single lights in transepts. Hollow chamfered arch to porch. Tower has small mullioned window in S wall, and foiled lancet to W: 3-light square headed louvred bell chamber lights and embattled parapet. Semi-octagonal stair turret to NW corner. Shallow sanctuary has 2-light flat headed foiled windows to S and a big 5-light E window. Transepts are formed by organ chamber to S and vestry to N.

Interior

Wide nave with very narrow corridor aisle to S. 4 bays with octagonal piers and double chamfered arches. Ornate roof, with hammerbeam, curved principal trusses with braced king posts to collar, and 2 tiers of wind braces. The curved principals, and the collar beams are richly carved. Segmental plain double chamfered arch to choir which forms the crossing at the vase of the tower, with similar arch to organ loft to S, and to sanctuary. Low stone wall carrying wrought iron screen and gables, and incorporating pulpit to N. This has stone corbelled base, and is octagonal, with open work inscribed panels and statues in niches. Encaustic tiled floor, and flat panelled ceiling, the tie beams carried on corbels. Richly worked organ case. Wrought iron altar rails, and open-work wood traceried panelled altar, and reredos with canopy and low reliefs. Sediliar and piscina. Keeled ceiling to sanctuary, with carved frieze. Octagonal sandstone front with low relief panels and lettering, with timber canopied cover. Original pews and choir stalls, with carved panels in bench ends.

Stained glass: East window: the last supper with angles. Sanctuary N and S window: saints figures. West window: suffer the little children: other windows have plain coloured glass.

Reason for designation

Listed at Grade II* for the quality of design (of both architecture and craft) and for the completeness with which the original conception survives.