Church of St Gwynog/Cynog

Cadw's description

Location

The church is located in a raised oval churchyard at the centre of the village of Llanwnog, which was later extended to the S to border the B.4568.

History

The parish church of Llanwnog, in the Diocese of Bangor, is a first generation daughter of the primary C7 Christian mission established at Llandinam. The present building is of the C15 and much medieval fabric remains after extensive restoration in 1863 by R. K. Penson.

Exterior

Built of rubble stone with limestone dressings, and a slate roof. A single elongated cell, comprising the undifferentiated nave and chancel, a C19 S porch, and vestry at right angles on the N. A weatherboarded timber framed tower with slated spire stands over the W end. Widely spaced 3-light windows with cusped heads under a depressed arch, but 2-light on N; 3-light C15 panelled window at the E end with grotesque heads at the apex and tails of the now missing hood moulding; and a priest's door at the W end of the S side, with a quatrefoil roundel over. The W end has a central buttress and no windows. A bronze bench-mark is set in the SW corner. The S door, within the porch, has a pointed head.

Within the graveyard are numerous well carved slate headstones by Kinsey family of Llandinam. John 'Ceriog' Hughes, the C19 lyric poet of Llanarmon, Dyffryn Ceriog, (1832-1887), manager of the Van Railway at Caersws, is buried here.

Interior

Plastered walls and C19 open roof of 6 bays over the nave; arch-braced collar trusses with raking struts supporting 2 tiers of purlins. The central panel between the purlins has attenuated cusped wind braces. The chancel has a boarded barrel vault, cross braced, with medieval bosses at the intersections. The floor steps up into the chancel, and a further 2 steps to the sanctuary. The timber supporting legs for the tower appear at the W end of the nave.

Fittings: Between the nave and chancel, an outstanding late C15 rood screen with loft over, 6 bays either side of the central opening. The screen has a low-set bressumer and elaborate tracery in the panel heads surviving on the N side. Fourteen heavy timber treads, set into a recess in the N wall, without a handrail, give access to the loft, which cantilevers both sides of the screen on panelled coving, more elaborately carved towards the nave. Bands of undercut flowing meander leaf and dragonesque carvings between mouldings on each side. The sides of the loft are panelled between broad moulded studs on both sides. The screen, the best to survive in the county, was recorded by the Rev J. Parker in 1828-32.

Pulpit, early C17, octagonal, panelled oak with a sloping shelf around the top.

Font, at the W end, a plain C19 octagonal raised bowl, with the recovered octagonal late medieval bowl set near-by.

Pews and choir stalls, C19.

Organ: Free-standing, presented in 1855, has a 4-octave single manual with 6 stops, in a carved case.

Glass: E window by Evans Bros, Shrewsbury. N window has re-assembled glass of a C14-C15 window, dismembered by a bomb, including a yellow-stain figure of a bishop, inscribed 'Sce ?Gynog'.

The tower has three bells.

Monuments: On the E wall: (a) Fine large painted limestone wall monument with a long inscription in an enriched Ionic aedicule, under a broken pediment mounted with surprised angels. Symbols of death at the sides, and a draped death's head below, to Mathew Pryce of Park-pen-prys, the cantref's administrative centre, †1699. (b) Arms with strapwork mantling. (c) Gothic aedicule, to David Jones, rural dean, †1864. On N wall (d) Tablet, white on grey to Andrew Davies of Plâs Newydd, †1816. In Nave, five tablets; (e) George Baker †1841; (f)Edward Matthews of Penddole, Trefeglwys; (g) Edward Matthews of Glanhafren †1827, (h) Gabled Gothic marble monument to John Owens †1893 and (i) Leonard Lewis †1831. On the S wall, (j) a white marble sarcophagus to David Hamer of Weeg †1833, by Milnes, Oswestry.

Reason for designation

Listed at Grade II* as a good example of a single-chamber medieval church which is of special interest for the retention of a C15 rood screen of exceptional quality.