St Cwyfan's Church

Heritage listing

Reason for designation: Listed at Grade II* as a small mediaeval country church untouched by Victorian restorers, retaining its C18/early C19 character, including box pews. History: The dedication to St Cwyfan, a C7 follower of St Beuno, implies an ancient church site; its location on the ancient pilgrim route to Holywell may also indicate early foundation. A church of Langeifin is mentioned in 1254. Foundations of an earlier mediaeval building have been observed beneath the north wall, but the present church is of the C15. The names of rectors are recorded from the start of the C15. One window is dated 1684 and the porch is dated 1714. the church is about 4 m by 15 m internally, reputed to be the smallest in the Vale of Clwyd. It is unusual in having escaped significant Victorian restoration. A west gallery was removed and a north vestry was added in the late C19. The curch was restored in 1997. Exterior: A single-nave church in New Red Sandstone with some repairs in Carboniferous sandstone, with roughcast render and a slate roof. There are a south porch and a north vestry in similar materials. The roofs (apart from the vestry) have coped gables, with a finial cross to the east and over the porch and a single bellcote to the west containing a bell dated 1665 (and remnant of a mass clock). The east window is of 2 lights, square headed, with simple debased Perpendicular tracery and a label mould with head stops, one damaged. In the south side there is a small single light window with foliated head lighting the chancel and a small 2 light window with segmental heads to the nave. On the north side there are similar windows to the chancel and nave respectively, with a buttress between; shutter hinge pins remain. The nave window carries the date 1684 / IM (for the Maddocks f

From Cadw under OGL v3.