History in Structure

Church of St Thomas

A Grade II Listed Building in Penycae, Wrexham

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.9999 / 52°59'59"N

Longitude: -3.0808 / 3°4'50"W

OS Eastings: 327563

OS Northings: 345282

OS Grid: SJ275452

Mapcode National: GBR 72.H24L

Mapcode Global: WH77Z.NV5K

Plus Code: 9C4RXWX9+XM

Entry Name: Church of St Thomas

Listing Date: 19 October 1999

Last Amended: 19 October 1999

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 22503

Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

ID on this website: 300022503

Location: At the upper, south-western end of Penycae.

County: Wrexham

Town: Wrexham

Community: Penycae (Pen-y-cae)

Community: Penycae

Built-Up Area: Rhosllanerchrugog

Traditional County: Denbighshire

Tagged with: Church building

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History

The church was built as a new foundation in 1877-8 to designs of Sir Aston Webb. A foundation stone records in addition the name of the contractors (Phennah and Davies). The stone was laid by Lady Williams Wynne: as major local landowners the family were probably benefactors of the church.

Exterior

A robust Early English style was adopted (and held at the time to suit its 'mountainous district'). Polygonal rock-faced rubble with ashlar dressings, slate roofs with terracotta crestings. Nave with north aisle beneath one continuous slope of the roof; gabled porch towards NW, with timber-framing to gable. Tiered pyramidal bellcote to east of nave, the roof stepped down beyond it. Lower chancel, with organ-chamber projecting as gable in N angle with nave. Paired lancets to aisle, similar window to organ-chamber with quatrefoil over. Small quatrefoil pierced in ashlar to right of porch. West end has high-set paired lancets, with cinquefoil over. Plate tracery comprising paired lancets and roundels pierced in ashlar to S wall. Narrow lancets to chancel enriched by simple hood moulds and continuous sill-band. Foundation stone below plate traceried east window consisting of triple lancets and quatrefoil.

Interior

Nave and north aisle under one roof. 4-bay arcade of cylindrical shafts carrying single-chamfered arches; corbelled responds at either end. Heavily timbered roof with curved braces carrying collars with semi-circular bracing above. Wide chancel arch sprung from corbels. Screen has low base panels and tall open panels with traceried heads. It incorporates a pulpit in its northern bay, which is inscribed as a war-memorial. Choir stalls said to come from church in Overton on Dee. Plain reredos added 1917. Encaustic tiles by William Godwin recorded, but not seen beneath carpet. Figurative stained glass in east window of 1918; the pastel coloured glass in the nave and aisle windows, and the simply floriated windows to south of chancel are presumably contemporary with the church.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a rare example in Wales of the work of Sir Aston Webb, a robust exercise in simple gothic forms, apt for its upland setting serving a small community.

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.

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