Church of St Trygarn

Cadw's description

Location

In an isolated rural location. Set back, down a trackway, from the S side of the B5109 between Trefor and Glan-yr-afon.

History

Thought to be C13 in origin, though the reset door in the S wall of the chancel (formerly the N doorway of the nave) is the only feature of that date. The S doorway, SE and W windows, and collar-beam roof are later Medieval. The chancel was added in C19.

Exterior

Simple rural Medieval church comprising 4 bay nave with W bellcote and added single bay chancel. Built of rubble masonry with weathered limestone dressings; nave has stepped angle buttresses at E end. Roof of thin slates with stone copings and ornate stone cross at the E chancel gable apex; the W bellcote is of dressed limestone, with shouldered base and gabled cap, the bell housed in a rectangular recess.
The entrance to the church is at the W end of the S wall of the nave; the C15 doorway has a round head in a square-hooded architrave with moulded jambs, a moulded label and trefoils in the spandrels. The nave windows are predominantly C19, paired cinquefoil-headed lights in rectangular frames, 2 to the R of the S doorway and another window at the E end of the N wall; a single, similarly detailed light, to the W. The E window in the S wall is a C14 or C15 window, a single pointed cinquefoil-headed light with sunk spandrels. The W gable has a late C14 window with simple tracery in a 2-centred head, possibly the original E chancel window.
The C19 E window in the added chancel has 3 trefoil-headed lights in a cusped traceried pointed arched window of 2 chamfered orders, and hoodmould with floriate bosses. In the S wall is a reset C13 doorway with a 2-centred head and quarter round moulded jambs, formerly the N doorway of the nave, now partially blocked and with cinquefoil-headed light, and hoodmould with floriate bosses.

Interior

Late Medieval collar beam roof to nave, with closely spaced C19 collar beam to chancel. The pointed chancel arch has chamfered angles and is stepped at the springing course. The sanctuary is raised by one step with a simple rail on twisted stanchion with floriate brackets. The fittings are C19. On the S wall of the nave there are 2 C18 memorials: a slate memorial tablet to Owen Morris of Rhydydefaid d1739, his wife Elin d1723, their son John d1740 and 2 of their great grandchildren; and a marble tablet to Ellin Hughes wife of John Hughes of Glan yr Afon d1750, John Hughes d1756, Margaret Hughes, wife of Wm Hughes d1787, and Wm Hughes d1787. There is an early C20 marble memorial tablet on the N wall.

Reason for designation

Listed as a rural Medieval church of the simple traditional type, characteristic of Anglesey.