Church of St. Morhaiarn

Cadw's description

Location

Located within an enclosed churchyard, at the end of a single track lane leading off the S side of the A5(T) Holyhead Road, at the W end of the village of Gwalchmai.

History

The earliest part of the church, the continuous nave and chancel, appears to be Medieval (date uncertain, possibly C14); a N chapel added c.1500 and a great part of the nave and chancel rebuilt in 1674. In 1845 the church was extensively restored under the guidance of the then incumbent, Reverend J Wynne Jones; the walls were repaired and the windows reset, and the E window (from the church at Hen Eglwys) inserted. The interior of the church was also refurbished and the gallery removed; the N porch was added later in the C19.

Exterior

Perpendicular church; nave and chancel are structurally undivided with single gabled bellcote at W end, NE chapel and N porch. Walls are of local rubble masonry with gritstone dressings; modern slate roof with stone copings and E gable apex cross. Entrance to the church is through the N porch, a 4-centred archway with chamfered jambs and moulded label; to the right of the porch is a single, trefoil-headed window in a square frame, to the left, a paired trefoil-headed window in a square frame with hoodmould, both are C19. There are similarly detailed windows in the N wall of the N chapel (that to E end original). The N chapel E window is a Perpendicular window of 3-lights with vertical tracery and moulded hoodmould, contrasting with the Decorated style E chancel window; of 3-lights with cusped tracery and hoodmould. The S wall of the nave has a blocked doorway of c. 1500 offset to the left; a round-headed doorway set into a square frame, with casement-moulded jambs and crosses in the spandrels, moulded label over. Left of the blocked doorway is a c.1500 window of paired trefoil-headed lights in a square frame with hoodmould; to the right a pointed-arched light, to the far right a cinquefoil-headed light, both C17 and both in square frames with moulded hoodmoulds (a similarly detailed cinquefoil-headed light in the W gable).

Interior

The round-headed, inner porch doorway leads directly into the W end of the nave. Nave and chancel, structurally undivided, are of 8 roof bays with exposed C17 arched collared trusses; N chapel of 4 similarly detailed roof bays. The opening to the chapel is c. 1500, of 2 bays with 4-centred arches of 2 hollow-chamfered orders with an octagonal pier and semi-octagonal responds, all with moulded capitals and bases. The chancel is raised by one step, floor with encaustic tiles, moulded chancel rail on twisted stanchions with floriate brackets. C19 pulpit is octagonal with facing, paired, recessed panels to upper part with cusped tracery detail at heads, quatrefoil motif below; chamfered angles. Font is octagonal with a narrow plinth and recut bowl. To the W end of the nave is the vestry, this is divided from the nave by a wooden screen; lower part with recessed panels of diagonally set tongued and grooved panelling, upper part with recessed panels with cusped tracery detail at the heads, pointed-arched doorway with floriate bosses in the spandrels and all under a moulded cornice. To the right of the entrance to the church (on the N wall of the nave) is a slate memorial to John Lewis, d.1747, and his wife Elizabeth, d.1778, and on the S wall of the chancel is a marble monument with fluted pilasters and achievement (now defaced), flanked by lamps, to Richard Lewis of Bodwiney, d.1725.

Reason for designation

Included as a good example of a small rural church of largely late Medieval character, though with early foundations. During the mid C19 many of the old churches on Anglesey were rebuilt or extensively renovated. The church of St. Morhaiarn has retained many of the early features, and character of its simple Perpendicular style.