Parish Church of St Sadwrn including adjacent Cross Shaft, Henllan, Denbighshire

History

A Celtic Llan was established on this site some time in the C6 or C7 by St Sadwrn: the 'Ecclesia de Henlan' is first mentioned in Pope Nicholas' Taxatio of 1291. The present building is probably of late C13 or C14 origin, though with the exception of the N doorway, a small piscina and a re-located tracery window in the vestry, nothing diagnostic remains of this early period. A large Perpendicular E window (restored in the C19) belongs to a late C15 or early C16 phase. The church was extensively rebuilt in 1807-8 at a cost of £964, at which time simple Y-tracery Gothic windows were inserted. A further restoration was carried out in 1878/9 by Richard Lloyd Williams, architect of Denbigh, at a cost of £1,900. During this phase the internal plaster was hacked off, a new S porch and vestry were constructed and the W end was remodelled. The Y tracery windows were 'improved' by insertion of cusped elements in the pointed lights.

Exterior

Medium-sized, single-cell parish church of rectangular plan. Of limestone rubble construction with yellow sandstone (1807) and limestone (1878) dressings; primary red/brown sandstone quoins to the corners, with limestone to the upper (heightened) sections. Slate roof with coped C19 gable parapets, having moulded kneelers and eaves course; stone gable crosses. Five-bay sides with S porch and N vestry projection to the second bay from W. The former has a gable as before and a double pointed arch with broach stops and chamfers, with moulded label having carved, returned head stops; modern iron grille. Chamfered inner entrance arch with contemporary boarded door and simple decorative ironwork; decorative tiled pavement. To the L of the porch is a 2-light, pointed-arched, Geometric tracery window (1878), with hollow chamfered jambs, moulded label and carved head stops. To the R of the porch are three 2-light windows with Y tracery and later cusping; rough-dressed voussoirs. Diagonally above the first of these is a squat Victorian lateral (boiler) chimney.

The N side has similar windows, with an additional rectangular Victorian commemorative window inserted at the far R (W). Vestry projection with simple end chimney and gable as before. On its W side is a reset C14 2-light Gothic window with cusping and a quatrefoil ocular head. Large 5-light Perpendicular E window, heavily renewed in the C19. This has a pointed arch, cusping, hollow-chamfered jambs and complex tracery heads; label as before. The W end has a stepped central buttress with flanking 2-light Victorian windows having tracery heads and returned label.

The S porch is approached by 4 stone steps with rubble parapet to the L. This has early chamfered sandstone copings. Abutting the steps to the R is a medieval sandstone cross shaft. This is octagonal, chamfered onto a square base, and tapers towards the flat top reaching a height of approximately 2.3m.

Interior

Single chamber with continuous nave and chancel. Barrel-vaulted Victorian pine ceiling compartmented into 8 bays with simple moulded ribbing. The 2 eastern bays, above the chancel, have marginal and central bands enriched with blind quatrefoils. Stripped limestone rubble walls and simple fixed pine pews flanking a central pavement of red, black and yellow tiles. The N doorway (now within the C19 vestry) is primary and consists of a pointed-arched entrance with sandstone jambs having half-round moulding; shouldered inner arch and C19 boarded door. The W end has small-field dado panelling of oak, returned onto the S and N walls. This was brought from Waterhouse's Eaton Hall, Cheshire, and was installed in 1965; crenellated brattishing. Simple octagonal font of limestone on a wide octagonal plinth. This has an oak font cover with a carved angel figure and a dedication inscription carved around the rim; in memory of Anne Elizabeth Walpole, d.1854. This replaced the medieval font, which was found in recent years at Llys Meirchion and has now been re-sited near the porch.

The chancel is stepped up and is separated from the nave by a low parapet of Stanton stone approximately 1m high. This has a moulded top rail and a series of blind quatrefoil oculi to the front, 5 to the L and 8 to the R of a plain central opening. On the L side is a contemporary square stone pulpit, which emerges from the parapet and projects slightly in front of it. Moulded top and base, the latter dentilated; half-round stopped-mouldings to the corners. The front has a square recess with dentilated top and a blind quatrefoil oculus with the raised IHS monogram and 4 flanking spheres. Plain pine choirstalls and modern organ to the S. Stepped-up sanctuary; both this and the chancel have polychromed tiled pavements. Moulded oak altar rail with 6 polychromed iron Gothic supports, having scrolled spandrels with applied star motifs. Fielded oak half-panelling to the sanctuary, stepped up above the altar and returned along the N and S sides. Crenellated brattishing with, above the altar, a biblical text frieze in raised, gilded lettering. The S wall has a small medieval piscina with ogee head.

Monuments: Chancel N wall: a simple classical memorial tablet to Heaton Lloyd Williams and wife, d.1862; in white marble on black marble. W of this is a good classical memorial to Richard Augustus Griffith Esq., of Garn, d.1831; by W. Spence of Liverpool. This consists of a white marble tablet with draped urn and clasped hands carved in relief. Nave N wall: at the W end is a classical tablet to Thomas and Martha Peake, d.1811 and 1813; white marble on a brown figured marble background. Nave S wall: classical tablet to Catherine Greatorix of Dolben, d.1837; white and black marble. W wall: fine late baroque mural monument to the Jones family of Galltfaenan Hall (monument erected 1780); off-white marble architectural frame with some coloured marble inlay; voluted sides flank a central tablet with egg-and-dart cornice raised to the centre; paired winged cherubs to the apron. A brown figured marble obelisk surmounts the monument, with good heraldic cartouche and flanking urn finials; a figurative relief surmounts the obelisk. To the L of this is a brass to Elizabeth Jones, d.1738; shaped top and heraldry. To the R of the Jones monument are 2 further memorials to the Peake family (formerly of Perthewig). The first is a white and grey marble tablet to Hugh Peake and his heirs, erected 1796; surmounting wreath. To the R of this is a recessed sandstone tablet in an ovolo-moulded frame to Hugh Peake, d.1697; relief-carved arms.

In the sanctuary is a fine early C17 altar table of carved oak (originally larger and now reduced in size). This has bulbous Jacobean turned and gadrooned legs, acanthus decoration, strapwork-carved stretchers and a foliated frieze. Double-arched front with applied angel busts in the spandrels; '16' in raised letters. At the E end of the nave is a pair of 9-branch hanging chandeliers of brass, inscribed as having been presented in 1788 by John Vaughan of Groes. These have gadrooned bowls with surmounting bird figures and scrolled branches. In the vestry are 2 C18 stone Benefactors' Boards, with painted inscriptions.

Stained and painted glass: S wall: 2 figurative windows (eastern-most) by Miller, the first in memory of Dorothy Roberts of Plas-yn-Green, d.1863, the second to John Heaton of Plas Heaton, d.1855. W of these is a window with good quality glass commemorating John Jocelyn Ffoulkes, d.1898; finally to the R of the S entrance is a window of 1878, also to the Ffoulkes family of Eriviatt Hall. N wall: second from E is a window of 1935 commissioned by Sir Earnest Tate of Galltfaenan Hall, Bart., to commemorate King George V's jubilee; by Whitefriars. To the W of this is an Arts and Crafts window to Alice, widow of Oliver Burton of Gwaenanog. At the west end is a small rectangular window with exceptionally fine heraldic glass commemorating Thomas Peake, d.1837. This was designed by Charles Winston and made by Ward and Nixon and consists of a main central shield with 8 flanking shields. E and W windows: 1878; simple coloured marginal glazing with biblical text and small, delicate grisaille panels to the former.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade II* for its special interest as a largely early C19 parish church retaining its 'preaching box' plan and some contemporary detail, but incorporating substantial elements of a late medieval parish church, including some primary architectural detail.

Group value with other listed items at the Church of St Sadwrn.

External Links

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