Latitude: 53.4115 / 53°24'41"N
Longitude: -4.3514 / 4°21'5"W
OS Eastings: 243804
OS Northings: 393101
OS Grid: SH438931
Mapcode National: GBR HMMP.9HY
Mapcode Global: WH421.4J50
Plus Code: 9C5QCJ6X+JC
Entry Name: Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea, St Winifred
Listing Date: 12 December 2000
Last Amended: 12 December 2000
Grade: II*
Source: Cadw
Source ID: 24455
Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Also known as: Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Winefride, Amlwch
ID on this website: 300024455
Location: In an elevated position, set back from the N side of the A5025 on the way out to Porth Llechog (Bull Bay).
County: Isle of Anglesey
Town: Amlwch
Community: Amlwch
Community: Amlwch
Built-Up Area: Amlwch
Traditional County: Anglesey
Tagged with: Church building
C20 Roman Catholic church, built in the 1930s. Designed by G Rinvolucri, an Italian architect who was originally brought to Wales as a prisoner of war. He subsequently married a local woman, and lived and worked in north Wales, specialising in Roman Catholic churches. He also designed a number of other churches in Wales, including those at Abergele, and Porthmadog.
Striking and individual Roman Catholic church which uses design elements embodying a nautical theme. The main body of the church is a high domed stressed concrete construction which has advanced ribs along its length, as the upturned hull of a boat. This is on a roughcast rendered plinth with portholes to each 'ribbed' bay. The entrance faces the road to the S, a dressed stone facade with raking sides, stepped up and surmounted by a plain stone cross. The main, central, entrance is reached by flanking flights of stone steps; a pointed arched doorway of 2 orders. Above the doorway is a star shaped light set within a mosaic surround. Below the main entrance, under the steps, is a square-headed doorway with flanking pointed arched windows. To the rear of the main body of the church is a flat roofed vestry accessed by a dog leg flight of stone steps with rubblestone walls; the top flight over a tall arch. A further doorway to the lower floor of the church is to the rear of the E wall.
The main entrance leads into a small vestibule with raking sides; further doorways lead into the S end of the main body of the church. The ribbing that is such a prominent feature of the exterior of the church also dominates the design of the interior; the body of the church illuminated by bands of geometrically patterned lights between the ribs. The lateral walls have marble panels which also follow the pattern of the ribs; to the top are paired panels, each with a moulded quatrefoil plaques depicting biblical scenes, plain paired panels below. The marbled panels continue at the far end of the church, raised up over round-headed doorways flanking a recess painted with a depiction of the crucifixion; star shaped lights follow the line of the domed arch.
Listed as a remarkable inter-war church, a highly unusual and experimental design which exploits the plastic qualities of its constructional material to create a powerfully expressive religious building.
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