St Cybi's Church

Cadw's description

Location

In chuchyard overlooking inner harbour, entered by archway from Market Square.

History

Church traditionally founded by St Cybi within the walls of a fort of the late Roman period. Present building dates mainly from late C15/early C16 rebuilding. Late C15 chancel incorporating C13 masonry; transepts (circa 1480), N aisle (circa 1500), S aisle and porch with stair turret (circa 1520). C17 tower. Early C19 vestry to N of tower. Restoration of 1877-1879 by Sir Gilbert Scott. South (Stanley) chapel of 1896-97.

Exterior

Brown stone; mainly late Perpendicular style with battlemented parapets. Two-stage W tower has pyramidal roof (C18 weather vane dated 1753), embattled parapet, louvred openings to upper stage, square-headed doorway to S. Elaborate south porch has battlemented parapets, stepped buttresses with finials to E and W angles, moulded string courses and plinth, 4-centred doorway with traceried spandrels; E and W windows with 4-centred arches, 3 lights of 5-foil ogee heads, tracery over, transom with cusped lights below. Entrance doorway 4-centred with hoodmould and decorated frame (carved decoration to spandrels includes heraldic shield). Wall above doorway has elaborate relief carving including a trinity beneath tiered canopy, to each side, arms of Llywarch ap Bran (to R in wreath of twisted cord), rest of wall has panels of tracery designs enclosed by arch of trefoil cusping. Fan vaulting (of 1877-79) carried by angle shafts with moulded capitals and bases (S side), and angle niches (N side). S aisle has 2 windows each of 3 trefoil lights, perpendicular tracery heads. In angle between aisle and S transept, polygonal stair turret with (C19) steep pyramidal roof, band of quatrefoil decoration below, slit windows. South transept has battlemented parapet (finials to angles) with sculptural reliefs including angel, lions, mitred heads, fantastic beasts; band of sunk quatrefoil decoration below. Two-light window has trefoil lights; between window and gable, sundial (dated 1813). South chapel (1896-7) has 2 broad 2-light windows to S (W of these C16 moved from chancel), and broad 3-light window to E. Lancet at return to chancel. E end of chancel. E end of chancel has diagonal buttresses (C19) and window (2-centred arch) of three cusped lights with intersecting tracery in head, hoodmould over. N wall of chancel has two lancets, and small C16 window with segmental head. North transept has battlemented parapets; to E, 4-centred window with 3 trefoiled lights; to N, 4-centred window with 2 trefoiled lights. North aisle has two 3-cusped light windows with perpendicular tracery; N doorway with 4-centred arch. Small vestry in angle between aisle and tower.

Stanley chapel (to S of chancel) Italian marble monument with angles and effigy by Hamo Thorneycroft. Window by Morris & Co, designed by Sir E Burne-Jones Roofs restored 1813-14, and 1877-79, mostly re-using old moulded timbers.

Interior

Nave of 3 bays, 4-centred arches (S arcade at higher level). Round arch to tower. Four-centred arches to transepts and crossing. Rough semi-circular chancel arch. E wall of N transept has late C15 painting of Tudor rose. In S transept reset C12 stones with chevrons.

Reason for designation

Listed Grade I as an outstanding late medieval church in North Wales.

Group value with Capel y Bedd and Upper Churchyard walls.