St Garmon's Church, Llanarmon-yn-Iâl
Encyclopedia
St Garmon's Church, Llanarmon-yn-Iâl, is in the centre of the village of Llanarmon-yn-Iâl
, Denbighshire
, Wales
. It is an active Anglican
church in the diocese of St Asaph
, the archdeaconry of St Asaph and the deanery of Dyffryn Clwyd. The church is a Grade I listed building.
from Wrexham
, replaced the stone arcade
between the two naves with an arcade in timber. In 1759 a gallery was built at the west end of the south nave, and this was extended in 1781. It is likely that the porch was enlarged in 1774. In 1870 the church was restored by John Douglas
, adding some Gothic
-style windows and bracing to the colonnade
. Also the box pew
s were removed, and it is likely that the gallery was also removed at this time. There were further restorations in 1906, in the late 1920s, and in the 1970s.
with some sandstone
. The roof is of slates with grey ridge tiles. Its plan consists of a double nave. The north nave is wider than the south and at its east end is the chancel. The south nave acts as an aisle, with its east end partitioned to act as a vestry. There is a south porch and a bellcote
at the west end over the north nave. The porch has a ball finial
and sandstone ridge tiles. The bellcote has apertures for two bells. The division between the north nave and the chancel is marked by a buttress
. The medieval arch-braced roofs are still present. Some round-headed windows remain from the 1736 restoration. Other windows are Gothic in style and probably date from Douglas' restoration.
font
dated 1734 and a pulpit
which has been attributed to Douglas. The brass chandelier
dates from the 15th or early 16th century and it contains a figure of the Virgin Mary
in a canopy
. Two of the monuments date from the early 14th century and another is dated 1639. The Royal Arms
date from 1740.
. In the churchyard is the shaft of a churchyard cross which was converted into a sundial
in 1774.
Llanarmon-yn-Ial
Llanarmon-yn-Iâl is a village, and local government community, in Denbighshire, Wales, lying in limestone country in the valley of the River Alyn.- Location :...
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It is an active Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the diocese of St Asaph
Diocese of St Asaph
The Diocese of Saint Asaph is a diocese in north-east Wales, named after Saint Asaph, its second bishop.-Geography:The Anglican Diocese of St Asaph in the north-east corner of Wales stretches from the borders of Chester in the east, to the Conwy valley in the west, to Bala in the south-west, and...
, the archdeaconry of St Asaph and the deanery of Dyffryn Clwyd. The church is a Grade I listed building.
History
The church dates from 1282 and a second nave was added about 1450. Much of the church was rebuilt in 1736 and around this time Edward Whetnall, a carpenterCarpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
from Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, replaced the stone arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
between the two naves with an arcade in timber. In 1759 a gallery was built at the west end of the south nave, and this was extended in 1781. It is likely that the porch was enlarged in 1774. In 1870 the church was restored by John Douglas
John Douglas (architect)
John Douglas was an English architect who designed about 500 buildings in Cheshire, North Wales, and northwest England, in particular in the estate of Eaton Hall. He was trained in Lancaster and practised throughout his career from an office in Chester, Cheshire...
, adding some Gothic
English Gothic architecture
English Gothic is the name of the architectural style that flourished in England from about 1180 until about 1520.-Introduction:As with the Gothic architecture of other parts of Europe, English Gothic is defined by its pointed arches, vaulted roofs, buttresses, large windows, and spires...
-style windows and bracing to the colonnade
Colonnade
In classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building....
. Also the 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 were removed, and it is likely that the gallery was also removed at this time. There were further restorations in 1906, in the late 1920s, and in the 1970s.
Exterior
The church is built in stone, mainly limestoneLimestone
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....
with some sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. The roof is of slates with grey ridge tiles. Its plan consists of a double nave. The north nave is wider than the south and at its east end is the chancel. The south nave acts as an aisle, with its east end partitioned to act as a vestry. There is a south porch and a bellcote
Bell-Cot
A bell-cot, bell-cote or bellcote, is a small framework and shelter for one or more bells, supported on brackets projecting from a wall or built on the roof of chapels or churches which have no towers. It often holds the Sanctus bell rung at the Consecration....
at the west end over the north nave. The porch has a ball finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
and sandstone ridge tiles. The bellcote has apertures for two bells. The division between the north nave and the chancel is marked by a buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
. The medieval arch-braced roofs are still present. Some round-headed windows remain from the 1736 restoration. Other windows are Gothic in style and probably date from Douglas' restoration.
Interior
Inside the church is a balusterBaluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
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:...
dated 1734 and a pulpit
Pulpit
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...
which has been attributed to Douglas. The brass chandelier
Chandelier
A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
dates from the 15th or early 16th century and it contains a figure of the Virgin Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
in a canopy
Canopy (building)
A canopy is an overhead roof or else a structure over which a fabric or metal covering is attached, able to provide shade or shelter. A canopy can also be a tent, generally without a floor....
. Two of the monuments date from the early 14th century and another is dated 1639. The Royal Arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
date from 1740.
External features
The church is in the middle of a churchyard which is almost square with rounded corners overlooking the River AlunRiver Alyn
The River Alyn is a tributary of the River Dee. The River Alyn rises at the southern end of the Clwydian hills and the Alyn Valley forms part of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. In the churchyard is the shaft of a churchyard cross which was converted into a sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
in 1774.