St Cynhaearn's Church, Ynyscynhaearn
Encyclopedia
St Cynhaearn's Church, Ynyscynhaearn, is a redundant church
standing in an isolated position on a former island in Llyn (Lake) Ystumllyn, 900 metres (984.3 yd) south of the village of Pentrefelin, Gwynedd
, Wales . It has been designated by Cadw
as a Grade II* listed building. The church is approached from the village by an ancient causeway
, and is in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
.
for Porthmadog
. Its nave
dates from the 12th century, and the north transept
was added in the 16th century. The south transept was built in 1622. Most of the interior fittings are Georgian
in style and date from 1832. It came into the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches in 2003, since when repair work has been undertaken.
, with the walls of the nave and the east side of the chancel
being stucco
. The roofs are of modern slate
s. Its plan consists of a short nave, north and south transepts, and a short chancel
. At the west end is a bellcote. The entrance is through a west door. The windows in the nave and transepts have two lights, and at the east end are three lancet window
s. The interior is plastered
above a timber dado
. The floor of the body of the church is stone-flagged, and there is a painted floor in the sanctuary
. At the west end is a gallery.
is a three-decker, approached by nine steps, below which is a lectern
with a reading shelf, and under this is the reader's desk. On each side of the altar are box pew
s. The gallery is supported on slender columns. The chamber organ by Flight and Robson dates from 1834 and was given by a Mrs Walker; it cost £30 (£ as of ). It has a Gothic
style case. On each side of it are six steeply raked pews and many carry the names of the families who used them. One of the pews is curtained off for mothers to feed their babies. The font
stands on an octagonal pillar of limestone
and was erected in 1900. There are also a number of memorials. The stained glass includes windows by Powell and Sons dated 1899 and 1906.
An earlier grave records the early passing of David Owen
, a local harpist who was known as "Dafydd y Garreg Wen
" or David of the White Rock as he came from White Rock farm. Owen wrote a tune called Dafydd y Garreg Wen
allegedly on his deathbed after calling for his harp.
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...
standing in an isolated position on a former island in Llyn (Lake) Ystumllyn, 900 metres (984.3 yd) south of the village of Pentrefelin, 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. The church is approached from the village by an ancient causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
, and is in 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...
.
History
The church was originally the parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
for Porthmadog
Porthmadog
Porthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
. Its nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
dates from the 12th century, and the north transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
was added in the 16th century. The south transept was built in 1622. Most of the interior fittings are 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...
in style and date from 1832. It came into the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches in 2003, since when repair work has been undertaken.
Structure
It is constructed in stone rubbleRubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
, with the walls of the nave and the east side of the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
being stucco
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...
. The roofs are of modern slate
Slate
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...
s. Its plan consists of a short nave, north and south transepts, and a short chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. At the west end is a bellcote. The entrance is through a west door. The windows in the nave and transepts have two lights, and at the east end are three lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s. The interior is 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...
above a timber dado
Dado (architecture)
In architectural terminology, the dado, borrowed from Italian meaning die or plinth, is the lower part of a wall, below the dado rail and above the skirting board....
. The floor of the body of the church is stone-flagged, and there is a painted floor in the sanctuary
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
. At the west end is a gallery.
Fittings and furniture
Dating from 1832, the pulpitPulpit
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...
is a three-decker, approached by nine steps, below which is a lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
with a reading shelf, and under this is the reader's desk. On each side of the altar are 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. The gallery is supported on slender columns. The chamber organ by Flight and Robson dates from 1834 and was given by a Mrs Walker; it cost £30 (£ as of ). It has a 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 case. On each side of it are six steeply raked pews and many carry the names of the families who used them. One of the pews is curtained off for mothers to feed their babies. 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:...
stands on an octagonal pillar of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and was erected in 1900. There are also a number of memorials. The stained glass includes windows by Powell and Sons dated 1899 and 1906.
Memorials
Amongst the memorials are one to Jack Ystumllyn also known as Jack Black. He was a black man brought back from Africa by a member of the Wynne family who lived at Ystumllyn House which can be seen from the church. It was fashionable at the time to have a black servant and he eventually was given his own house. He had seven children and died at the end of the eighteenth century. Local people claim him as their ancestor.An earlier grave records the early passing of David Owen
David Owen (harpist)
David Owen was a Welsh harpist, best remembered as the composer of the popular song, "Dafydd y Garreg Wen"...
, a local harpist who was known as "Dafydd y Garreg Wen
Dafydd y Garreg Wen
Dafydd y Garreg Wen is a traditional Welsh air and folk song.David Owen, the famous blind harper and composer, lived near Porthmadog in Caernarfonshire, Wales in the first half of the 18th century, who was known locally as Dafydd y Garreg Wen,...
" or David of the White Rock as he came from White Rock farm. Owen wrote a tune called Dafydd y Garreg Wen
Dafydd y Garreg Wen
Dafydd y Garreg Wen is a traditional Welsh air and folk song.David Owen, the famous blind harper and composer, lived near Porthmadog in Caernarfonshire, Wales in the first half of the 18th century, who was known locally as Dafydd y Garreg Wen,...
allegedly on his deathbed after calling for his harp.