St Mary's Church, Rhodogeidio
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church, Rhodogeidio is a small medieval church, dating from the 15th century, near Llannerch-y-medd, in Anglesey
, north Wales. It served as a chapel of ease
to another church in the area, St Ceidio's
. Some restoration work was carried out in the 19th century, but St Mary's has since fallen into disuse and is now largely in ruins.
It is a Grade II listed building, a national designation given to "buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort being made to preserve them", in particular because it is "a late Medieval church of exceptionally simple character", and is virtually unaltered despite its poor condition. One writer has said that St Mary's "has the distinction of probably being the most isolated church in Anglesey".
, north Wales. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Llannerch-y-medd, towards the north of Anglesey. It is reached by a footpath from a farm – it is only accessible on foot – and is surrounded by a churchyard.
It was built in the 15th century as a chapel of ease
to serve St Ceidio's Church, Rhodogeidio
, about 0.75 miles (1.25 km) to the east. Restoration work was carried out in the 19th century, but the church later fell into disuse. It has been in ruins since sometime between 1937, when the survey by the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire recorded its condition as "fair", and 1970, when it was given listed building status and its "very poor" condition noted.
period, and was constructed using rubble masonry
and large stones. It had a slate roof, although most of the roof has now gone, and there is a bellcote at the west end, which may be original rather than a later addition. There is no physical division between the nave
and the chancel
, although one account in the 19th century said that there had originally been a screen separating them, and some traces of it still remained at that time.
Entrance to the church was through a doorway with a square head, in the north wall at the west end; this dates from the 19th century. An inscribed stone near the doorway has the date 1798 and some initials, and it has been suggested that this marked the date of some renovation work. There are two windows on the south wall, one fully blocked and one partially blocked. The small window at the east end of the church dates from the latter part of the 15th century.
Inside, little remains, but the ruins still have most of the original roof trusses (one, at the west end of the church, is a replacement). There are some slate memorial tablets on the walls, dating from the middle of the 19th century, and a plain 12th-century circular font. The 1937 survey noted a bell dating from 1717 and some portions of 17th-century panelled seating near the pulpit; these were not recorded when the church was given listed status in 1970.
(the Welsh Government body responsible for the built heritage of Wales and the inclusion of Welsh buildings on the statutory lists) also notes that despite its "very poor condition", St Mary's "is a virtually unaltered late Medieval building (even retaining the original roof trusses) and in its isolation, is characteristic of many churches on the island."
Writing in 1859, the clergyman and antiquarian Harry Longueville Jones
called it a "small, plain, single-aisled chapel", and said that one of the small south windows was "a good specimen of its kind." A 2006 guide to the churches of Anglesey says that the "roofless ruin" of St Mary's "has the distinction of probably being the most isolated church in Anglesey".
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, north Wales. It served as a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
to another church in the area, St Ceidio's
St Ceidio's Church, Rhodogeidio
St Ceidio's Church, Rhodogeidio is a rural 19th-century church, in Anglesey, north Wales. It was built using materials from the 14th-century church that previously stood on the site, which has been used for Christian worship since some time in the 7th century...
. Some restoration work was carried out in the 19th century, but St Mary's has since fallen into disuse and is now largely in ruins.
It is a Grade II listed building, a national designation given to "buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort being made to preserve them", in particular because it is "a late Medieval church of exceptionally simple character", and is virtually unaltered despite its poor condition. One writer has said that St Mary's "has the distinction of probably being the most isolated church in Anglesey".
History and location
St Mary's Church is in the countryside in Rhodogeidio, in AngleseyAnglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, north Wales. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Llannerch-y-medd, towards the north of Anglesey. It is reached by a footpath from a farm – it is only accessible on foot – and is surrounded by a churchyard.
It was built in the 15th century as a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
to serve St Ceidio's Church, Rhodogeidio
St Ceidio's Church, Rhodogeidio
St Ceidio's Church, Rhodogeidio is a rural 19th-century church, in Anglesey, north Wales. It was built using materials from the 14th-century church that previously stood on the site, which has been used for Christian worship since some time in the 7th century...
, about 0.75 miles (1.25 km) to the east. Restoration work was carried out in the 19th century, but the church later fell into disuse. It has been in ruins since sometime between 1937, when the survey by the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire recorded its condition as "fair", and 1970, when it was given listed building status and its "very poor" condition noted.
Architecture and fittings
St Mary's is a small church, measuring 30 feet by 12 feet 3 inches (about 9.1 by 3.7 m). It dates from the late medievalMedieval architecture
Medieval architecture is a term used to represent various forms of architecture common in Medieval Europe.-Characteristics:-Religious architecture:...
period, and was constructed using rubble masonry
Rubble masonry
Rubble masonry is rough, unhewn building stone set in mortar, but not laid in regular courses. It may appear as the outer surface of a wall or may fill the core of a wall which is faced with unit masonry such as brick or cut stone....
and large stones. It had a slate roof, although most of the roof has now gone, and there is a bellcote at the west end, which may be original rather than a later addition. There is no physical division between the 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...
and 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...
, although one account in the 19th century said that there had originally been a screen separating them, and some traces of it still remained at that time.
Entrance to the church was through a doorway with a square head, in the north wall at the west end; this dates from the 19th century. An inscribed stone near the doorway has the date 1798 and some initials, and it has been suggested that this marked the date of some renovation work. There are two windows on the south wall, one fully blocked and one partially blocked. The small window at the east end of the church dates from the latter part of the 15th century.
Inside, little remains, but the ruins still have most of the original roof trusses (one, at the west end of the church, is a replacement). There are some slate memorial tablets on the walls, dating from the middle of the 19th century, and a plain 12th-century circular font. The 1937 survey noted a bell dating from 1717 and some portions of 17th-century panelled seating near the pulpit; these were not recorded when the church was given listed status in 1970.
Assessment
St Mary's has national recognition and statutory protection from alteration as it has been designated as a Grade II listed building – the lowest of the three grades of listing, designating "buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort being made to preserve them". It was given this status on 12 May 1970 and has been listed because it is "a late Medieval church of exceptionally simple character". CadwCadw
-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...
(the Welsh Government body responsible for the built heritage of Wales and the inclusion of Welsh buildings on the statutory lists) also notes that despite its "very poor condition", St Mary's "is a virtually unaltered late Medieval building (even retaining the original roof trusses) and in its isolation, is characteristic of many churches on the island."
Writing in 1859, the clergyman and antiquarian Harry Longueville Jones
Harry Longueville Jones
-Life:Jones was the son of Edward Jones by Charlotte Elizabeth Stephens, was born in Piccadilly, London, in 1806. His father was second son of Captain Thomas Jones of Wrexham, who adopted the additional name of Longueville on succeeding to a portion of the Longueville estates in Shropshire. Jones...
called it a "small, plain, single-aisled chapel", and said that one of the small south windows was "a good specimen of its kind." A 2006 guide to the churches of Anglesey says that the "roofless ruin" of St Mary's "has the distinction of probably being the most isolated church in Anglesey".