Church of St Iestyn

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on the S side of the village centre at Llaniestyn.

History

Anglican parish church, possibly C13 in origin, enlarged to E c1400, and with S aisle and arcade added c1500 in matching style, such that all the windows are lancets. Restored by Henry Kennedy in 1858, when the arcade columns were restored, floors relaid and fittings renewed.

Exterior

Parish church, rubble stone with slate roofs and C19 W bellcote. Plain long nave, and S aisle of equal width, but not extending as far W. Narrow lancet windows with stone voussoirs, 3 to nave N with door to left of right window. Ledged door in plain pointed doorway with stone voussoirs. It is thought that the joint between the C13 original and c1300 E addition is between centre and left windows, right lancet is said to be the only original of C13, the door and other 2 being C19. The right window is in a blocked narrow doorway of c1300. E end has 3 lancets of c1300, the heads crudely stepped. W end has paired lancets set high, over pointed plain W doorway and plank door, both more probably c1300 or later. Small blocked lancet on S wall. S aisle has small rectangular lattice-glazed W window, set high. Three C19 widely-spaced S lancets with stone voussoirs and an original blocked doorway with rough round head. E end 3 lancets c1500 but to match those of adjacent nave E window.

Interior

Plastered walls, ashlar arcade of 5-bays. 4-centred arches of 2 hollow moulds on octagonal piers with moulded caps and bases. E respond has carved small head and base rests on an inverted plinth. C19 arch-braced collar trusses with wishbone struts above collars. W end of nave is considerably lower than rest and has been floored with an early C19 musicians gallery, reached from lobby inside N door. Crude low screen to gallery front with cresting, carried around timber lobby. Whitewashed wall under gallery with door and steps down into W end. Whitewashed octagonal font of unusual form, chamfered below and on octagonal shaft with tapering angle buttresses. Sides of bowl and chamfered base are decorated with patterns including window tracery designs, C15 or early C16. Mid C19 open-panelled timber pulpit, stalls and wrought-iron and timber rails. Memorials: N wall from E: 1. slate plaque with cherub heads and skull to the Rev Elis Anwill, d 1742; 2. marble plaque with pediment and drapery to the Rev Owen Owen d 1765, recording his building the rectory; 3. neo-Grec tapering marble plaque to the Rev Robert Jones d 1852 'born and died at the Rectory House'; 4. plaque to the 7 children of the Rev John Owen, c1857; 5. marble memorial with corniced plaque c1840 to the Rev Edward Owen d 1824; 6. plaque to 3 children of Rev Edward Owen, after 1844, identical to 4th memorial. SW wall upright floor-slab to Evan Saethon of Saethon, d 1639. Stained glass: E window, 'Come unto me' c1900, S aisle W has inset quatrefoil with angel: some stained glass possibly moved from demolished church at Sarn Meillteyrn.

Reason for designation

A medieval church of C13 to C16 date, with fine arcade and unusual surviving musicians' gallery.