Church of St Cynfarch and St Mary, Llanfair-Dyffryn-Clwyd

Heritage listing

Reason for designation: A church of typical Vale of Clwyd layout, preserving a considerable amount of late mediaeval fabric and possessing a good collection of monuments. History: A church here is mentioned in 1254 as ecclesia de Lanweyr. A chaplain, Howell, is mentioned in 1295; from 1412 there were sinecure rectors and there have been vicars from 1575. The original dedication was to St Cynfarch, thought to be a C6 or C7 North Wales chieftain. The present church is a C15 rebuild, given an additional dedication to St Mary. Older monuments incorporated in the present building are a sepulchral slab of the C14 now in the chancel and remnants of a C14 slab seen in the blocking of the north door. The detailing suggests an equal status given to the two naves, which were and still are of identical size and height. Before the C19 restoration of the church the date 1503 appeared in the stained glass of the east window, and although this glass has been relocated in a south window in mixed condition it can still be found. The east window suffered sacrilegious damage in 1586. The masonry of one south window is dated 1626, and the bells in the tower are dated 1631 or later. A small stone-built porch was added at an unknown date. The church was later given ceilings following the curve of the arched braces of the roofs. When Glynne saw the church in 1849 he described the exterior as whitewashed. St Mary s was restored for the Rev. Basil Jones in 1870-72 by John D Sedding, architect, of Bristol, at a cost of about 2300; a brass commemorative plaque with the date 1872 appears over the main door. In Sedding s restoration the walls were raised 0.6 m and the exterior whitewash removed; the ceiling and a west gallery in the south nave were removed. The roof was reconstructed and re-exposed

From Cadw under OGL v3.