St Mary's Church, Penllech
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church, Penllech, is a redundant church
in the village of Penllech
, Gwynedd
, Wales. It has been designated by Cadw
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
. It stands adjacent to a farmyard in the Lleyn Peninsula and is on the old pilgrim
s' route to Bardsey Island
.
period, with the fabric in the east end dating from the 15th century. It was much rebuilt in 1840, but rather than the Gothic
-style restoration usual at the time, the interior retained its Georgian
style. It was vested
with the charity
the Friends of Friendless Churches in 2009, who hold a 999-year lease
with effect from 20 October 2009. Since then repairs have been undertaken, including the reintroduction of wooden tracery
in the windows in its original form, designed by Graham Holland.
roof. At the west end is a gable
d single bellcote. The door is on the north side. In the north and south walls are two two-light windows with wooden Y-tracery. The east window is larger, also with two lights and tracery that is probably in concrete. There is no west window.
In the interior, the walls are plastered
and the roof truss
es are whitewash
ed. The floor is paved with quarry tile
s. The fittings date from the 19th century and are made in pine that has been painted and grained. They include box pew
s, open back pews, benches, and a three-decker pulpit
. The pulpit is octagonal, with a single candle-holder and a reading desk. Above the pulpit is a sounding board
, also octagonal, and decorated on its underside with an eight-ray sun pattern. The font
is medieval and consists of a rough stone bowl on a whitewashed pier
. The bell is dated 1894.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
in the village of Penllech
Penllech
Penllech is a village and former civil parish in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The parish was abolished in 1934, and incorporated into Tudweiliog....
, Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, Wales. It has been designated by Cadw
Cadw
-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
. It stands adjacent to a farmyard in the Lleyn Peninsula and is on the old pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s' route to Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island
Bardsey Island , the legendary "Island of 20,000 saints", lies off the Llŷn Peninsula in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The Welsh name means "The Island in the Currents", although its English name refers to the "Island of the Bards", or possibly the island of the Viking chieftan, "Barda". It is ...
.
History
The church dates from the medievalMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
period, with the fabric in the east end dating from the 15th century. It was much rebuilt in 1840, but rather than the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
-style restoration usual at the time, the interior retained its Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style. It was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
with the charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
the Friends of Friendless Churches in 2009, who hold a 999-year lease
Leasehold estate
A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord....
with effect from 20 October 2009. Since then repairs have been undertaken, including the reintroduction of wooden tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
in the windows in its original form, designed by Graham Holland.
Architecture
St Mary's is constructed in stone with a slateSlate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof. At the west end is a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d single bellcote. The door is on the north side. In the north and south walls are two two-light windows with wooden Y-tracery. The east window is larger, also with two lights and tracery that is probably in concrete. There is no west window.
In the interior, the walls are plastered
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
and the roof truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
es are whitewash
Whitewash
Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a very low-cost type of paint made from slaked lime and chalk . Various other additives are also used...
ed. The floor is paved with quarry tile
Quarry tile
Quarry tile is a building construction material, usually 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick, made by the extrusion process from natural clay or shales. - Sizes and shapes :...
s. The fittings date from the 19th century and are made in pine that has been painted and grained. They include box pew
Box pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s, open back pews, benches, and a three-decker pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
. The pulpit is octagonal, with a single candle-holder and a reading desk. Above the pulpit is a sounding board
Sounding board
A sound board, or soundboard, is the surface of a string instrument that the strings vibrate against, usually via some sort of bridge. The resonant properties of the sound board and the interior of the instrument greatly increase loudness over the string alone.The sound board operates by the...
, also octagonal, and decorated on its underside with an eight-ray sun pattern. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is medieval and consists of a rough stone bowl on a whitewashed pier
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
. The bell is dated 1894.