History in Structure

Church of St Michael

A Grade II Listed Building in Dolbenmaen, Gwynedd

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 52.9808 / 52°58'50"N

Longitude: -4.1951 / 4°11'42"W

OS Eastings: 252722

OS Northings: 344862

OS Grid: SH527448

Mapcode National: GBR 5M.J7DB

Mapcode Global: WH55C.JBKP

Plus Code: 9C4QXRJ3+8X

Entry Name: Church of St Michael

Listing Date: 19 October 1971

Last Amended: 30 March 1999

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 4283

Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

ID on this website: 300004283

Location: The church lies in the central section of the valley, set within its large churchyard on the low lying valley floor. Within the churchyard there are a number of gravestones of the first half of the C

County: Gwynedd

Town: Dolbenmaen

Community: Dolbenmaen

Community: Dolbenmaen

Locality: Llanfihangel-y-Pennant

Traditional County: Caernarfonshire

Tagged with: Church building

Find accommodation in
Brynkir

History

The church is perhaps C17 in origin, and the centre of a separate parish centred in the Pennant valley. It was considerably altered in the C19, with the W gallery dated 1847. Further restorations carried out in 1888. The parish registers begin in 1692.

Exterior

Built of coursed stone rubble of local origin, with a slate roof. A long single cell building with a boarded W door within a pointed arch, and above, a gabled bellcote. Three pointed-headed windows each side, and a similar window over the W door, all furnished with diamond pattern lead glazing. The E window is composed of three equally sized round-headed lancets with transomed timber frames, each containing coloured glass in the upper half.

Interior

A western entrance lobby with store on the S side is formed under a western gallery. Internal walls plastered above a dado formed with C17 panelling probably from earlier box pews, and bearing the dates 1687 and ST RM 1688. Six roof trusses forming 7 bays, of collar and king-post form with knee braces carrying the roof on 2 tiers of purlins, all probably C19 or refurbished at that time. The W gallery is early C19 with panelled cornice front, raked and carrying 4 ranges of pews.

Fittings: altar rail, probably early C19, turned balusters. Two timber lecterns. Octagonal Gothic pulpit with openwork tracery sides. Simple early C19 pews.

Monuments: on the Nave S side, White marble wall tablets: (a) Jane Brynker, d.1760, erected by William Wynn of Macsyneuadd; (b) a rectangular tablet to Mrs Jane Price of Rhiwlas (Mer) d.1727, noting a royal bounty was procured for the church; (c) Catherine Price, d.1727, 'who had not the external ornaments of costly apparel' wife of James Brynker, d.1644, he 'a great sufferer for his Royal Master' added; oval marble tondo with a fine draped profile bust over. On the N side: (d) Rev Augustus Jones, d.1910; and 3 slate tablets floated into the plaster; (e) Jane Jones, d.1790; (f) 3 children of Mary Powell, d.1812, 1835 and 1837, and John Powell, a son, d.1842 in the Gulf of Mexico, aged 25; (g) Mary Powell, d.1847, with Robert Powell, d.1855.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a simple C17 rural parish church in a picturesque rural setting, containing some interesting memorials, its C19 restoration scarcely influenced by gothic revival principles. Of group value with Pont Llanfihangel.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Pont Llanfihangel (aka Pont Llan)
    North of the Church of St Michael, the bridge carries the valley road across the Afon Dwyfor sharply at right angles crossing to the E bank.
  • II Tan-y-graig
    The house stands on a bank beneath Graig Gyfyng, and above the flood plain of the Afon Dwyfor in the centre of Cwm Pennant.
  • II Pont Gyfyng
    The bridge is in the centre section of the Cwm Pennant, and carries a road across the Afon Dwyfor to former slate quarries and copper workings at Moelfre.
  • II Bryn-wern
    The house stands with its back to the W side of Cwm Pennant, near Moelfre.
  • II Isallt-fawr
    The farm is set on sloping ground on the E side of the wider, lower section of Cwm Pennant, and is reached from a straight road leading E, N of Brynkir.
  • II Carthouse, Stable and Granary at Isallt-fawr
    Issalt-fawr lies at the wider S end of Cwm Pennant, on the lower slope of Moel Issalt. The carthouse building stands in front and at right angles to the main S front of the farmhouse.
  • II Cowhouse at Isallt-fawr
    Issalt-fawr lies at the lower S end of Cwm Pennant, at the foot of the slope of Moel Issalt. The cowhouse stands some distance away to the SE of the farmhouse
  • II Twr Gwynllan
    The tower stands on the top of a hill 200m S of Old Brynkir Hall, in a plantation of trees, and can be reached from Brynkir Home Farm by a winding private farm road.

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.