Church of St Trunio

Cadw's description

Location

Located on S side of road, at centre of village, within its large churchyard.

History

Parish church, C12, C14, C15, altered 1829, restored 1859 and 1918. Sandstone, with graded slate roof on N, slate on S. Part timber-framed belfry.

Exterior

Nave and chancel in single long cell, with belltower rebuilt over west end, and formally having a N aisle and N chapel. South porch in second bay from W. Sloping buttresses to S wall, angled at the E end. C15 3-light square headed window at the E end of S wall, replicated on S and N wall in 1859. E window with reticulated tracery. One small high set single chamfered light in chancel N wall, and a similar window, blocked, to the W end. One bay of blocked late C12 arcade, comprising round arch on low set round columns with square chamfered capitals, one carved, in W bay of N wall. Trefoil-headed piscina from lost chapel reset on N chancel wall.

Interior

S door C12, two plain orders. Interior of church colourwashed, with plaster ceiling following rafters and collars. Central tie beam. Truss brackets over C19 raised sanctuary paved with encaustic tiles. W gallery, extended 1829, has 9x panelled front with painted inscriptions recording benefactions. Stepped floor with 5 ranges of C19 pews, but rear C18 or early C19.

Glass: NW window 1925, to Revd. Thomas Browne Vaughan, Christ appearing to men of Galilee.

Fittings: C17 baluster sanctuary rail and C17 carved oak reredos, extended to side walls in similar style in 1891. Rest of church has C19 dado panelling and pews of 1870.

Pulpit: C17 vigorously carved part-octagon on step. Readers desk has C17 carved panel reset in C19 corniced work of similar style, and part of carved splay baluster rail inscribed M.I.D 1689, probably from screen destroyed in 1729.

Lectern: C19, oak. Font: Late C12, arcaded, the arches segmental and reflected below the column bases.

Furniture: Two C17 carved arms chairs at E end.

Bell: of 1661, donated by Richard Griffiths of Trederwyn Hall and Robert Evans of New Hall.

Monuments: Brass to William Evans of New Hall 1748 in contemporary eared frame. N Wall: Marble tablet of slate to Archdeacon Thomas, rector and historian (see Reference below), 1918.

Miscellanea: In porch, C9-early C10 stone with edges carved, one with 4-cord double bead plait, the other with a triangular key fret. Stone rededicated to Robert Richards and Richard Edwards, 1729. A similar fragment with key pattern, formally two, is built into the north chancel wall.

An important church historically, originally dedicated to the C7 Breton confessor, St Trunio, later conflated with SS Peter and Paul (probably due to the coincidence of the 29th June festival day).