Chapel of St. Mary (Tal-y-llyn) and churchyard walls

Cadw's description

Location

In an isolated location at the E side of a country lane c. 4.25km NE of Aberffraw and c. 3.75km SW of Gwalchmai; the chapel lies within an enclosed circular churchyard.

History

Built as the chapel of ease for the parish church of Llanbeulan. The nave is Medieval, possibly C12, the chancel re-built late C16 and the S chapel added C17. The chapel has been re-slated but retains C15 and C17 trusses. In use as an occasional venue for services up until the early 1990's, the chapel was made redundant c.1992.

Exterior

A simple chapel of ease. Nave of 2 bays with W gable bellcote; shorter, narrower chancel with S chapel set at right angles to E end of S wall. Built of rubble masonry with boulder quoins; modern slate roof with stone copings and single, rubble bellcote at W gable. Entrance to the chapel is through a round-headed arched doorway (possibly C14), with relieving arch, in W gable wall of the nave; the nave has 2 small, rectangular windows in the N wall, inserted in early C20. There is a similar window in the N wall of the chancel; the E chancel window is a late C16 window of 3 round-headed lights in a square frame with moulded label. The S chapel has rectangular C17 windows in the E and W walls.

Interior

Nave of 4 roof bays, with exposed, arch-collared, pegged trusses with chamfered soffits; chancel beyond a pointed, chamfered, chancel arch of 2 roof bays with single bay chapel set at right angles to S (both with similarly detailed trusses). Stone flag floor throughout; the nave has a narrow plinth at the base of each side wall into which simple plank pews are set, one bench end dated 1786. Immediately S of the door is the rough pillar rest of the original C12 font (removed for safe keeping when the church was made redundant), and further along the S side of the nave is a C15 octagonal gritstone font with roll moulding at the base, set on an octagonal stem with necking. The pulpit is simple with recessed panelled faces and a sloping top on shaped brackets; the communion rail also simply designed, a moulded rail on turned balusters, dated 1764, the reredos of tongued and grooved panelling with chevron detailing. Windows are now boarded but retain the leaded lights.

Reason for designation

Included at Grade I as a very rare example of a virtually unrestored Medieval church of simple, rustic character, which is particularly notable for the retention of a complete set of C18 fittings, including simple benches.