Church of St. John the Evangelist

Cadw's description

Location

At the south end of the village of Penllyn at the entrance to Penllyn Castle.

History

Built c1850 for John Homfray of Penllyn Castle to give a nearer church for Penllyn village as well as the Castle; it does not appear on the tithe map of 1839. The parish church is the Church of St. Brynach (qv) about 1.5 km to the south. The church is largely unaltered since building with only minor additions to the fittings, and the probable addition of the north organ chamber. The east window is dated 1850 and the church must date from very soon before. A part of the improvements to Penllyne Castle and its surroundings which the Homfray family instigated between 1850 with the church and 1875 with the east tower on the castle.

Exterior

Roughly coursed and squared local limestone rubble with Bath stone dressings and a Welsh slate roof, diagonal buttresses. Small single cell church with west bellcote and integral chancel, south porch and north organ chamber. Decorated style.
South wall with three windows and a steeply gabled porch between the first and second from the left. Porch with pointed arch with dripmould, gable coping and apex cross. Two-light windows in square-headed recesses, with recticulated tracery and dripmoulds over. East gable wall with 3-light window with cusped heads and quatrefoils; west wall with 2-light window but flush with the wall. North wall is blind. Coped gables with small bellcote with cross and bell on the west one and cross on the east one.

Interior

Plain interior but very unaltered. Plastered and painted walls, low pitch waggon roof. The 2-centred arch in the north wall leading to the organ chamber is probably an alteration. The furnishings are all contemporary except for the font which is dated 1682, the reredos of 1903 and the later panelling around it.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as part of a group of well designed Victorian estate buildings at the entrance to Penllyn Castle.