Parish Church of the Holy Trinity

Cadw's description

Location

Set back from the main road within its own rubble-walled churchyard at the southern end of the village centre.

History

Built in 1858 under the patronage of Mrs William Gryffydd Oakley of Plas Tan-y-Bwlch, Maentwrog, together with an associated vicarage. The first incumbent was the Rev. George Griffiths.

Exterior

Small Victorian parish church in simple lancet style, consisting of a nave and chancel with W-end bellcote, N porch and vestry projection to the S. Rough-dressed, snecked slatestone elevations with pale sandstone dressings and steep slate roofs; slab-coped and kneelered gable parapets with decorative gable cross bases. The nave N side has a large porch to the R with tall pointed-arched entrance having hollow-chamfered and ball-flower detail; engaged columns to R and L with naturalistic foliage capitals; moulded returned label with carved head stops. To the R of the porch is a window consisting of paired, cusped lancets; to the L of the porch is a single lancet with a pair of lancets to the L and a further single lancet beyond. The latter has a modern slate dedication plaque inserted to its R. The S side has similar windows arranged as two pairs each with a single to its R. At the far R is a single-bay vestry projection with a triple cusped lancet group to the S gable and a Tudor-arched, chamfered entrance with boarded door to the E return; reduced lateral chimney to the W return.

The W end has flush stepped buttresses to the N and S, that to the latter with incised Bench Mark. Large triangular tracery Rose with 3 cusped occuli within a moulded label with carved foliated stops. A moulded stringcourse at high dado level returns onto the flanking buttresses where it terminates. Surmounting the W gable is an elegant octagonal bellcote, corbelled-out over the W wall and with open arched upper storey. Stone spire with ball flower and ribbed decoration. The Chancel is stepped-down from the nave and set back; it is of one bay's length. Triple lancet group to the E end with ogee heads; single lancets to the N and S sides.

Interior

Aisless nave with 5-bay arched-braced collar truss roof, the trusses carried down onto simple stone corbels. Fixed pine pews in simple Gothic style with central lozenge-tiled pavement of black/yellow/red tiles. Similar box pews form choirstalls at the E end of the nave, oriented to face inwards. Modern wooden pulpit and a painted late C19 wooden pedal organ, the latter set within a niche on the S wall; in simple Gothic style. To the L of this is a plain Tudor-arched entrance to the vestry; boarded door. At the W end an Early English-style painted stone font; conventional octagonal type with hollow-chamfered edges to the bowl and cluster-column base on an octagonal plinth.

Large chancel arch with chamfered and moulded detail and engaged half-columns to the inner faces terminating in naturalistic foliage capitals. The chancel has 2 steps leading up to it; plain red tiled pavement to this and the stepped-up sanctuary beyond. Two-bay collar truss roof with stopped-chamfered principal and collar. Simple oak altar rails carried on 4 wrought iron scrolled supports; simple panelled oak reredos in memory of the parishioners lost in WWII.

Stained and painted glass:

E window: scenes of the Passion over three lights, in memmory of the Breese family. Nave, N Wall: Christ as Sower and as Good Shepherd, figurative panels over two lights; in memory of the Rev. David Morgan, d.1895. S Wall: fine 2-light Arts and Crafts Annunciation in memory of Anne Louisa Loveday of Castell Deudraeth, d.1904.

Reason for designation

Listed as a mid-Victorian parish church in largely unaltered condition in a prominent road-side location.