St Michael's Church, Abergele

Heritage listing

Reason for designation: Included at Grade II* as a regionally important church with surviving medieval fabric, and a good collection of monuments. History: The parish church occupies the site of a church erected in the C8 on land granted by Maelgwyn Gwynedd to Elfod, Bishop of Bangor, who, it is recorded in the Annales Cambriae, introduced the Roman calculation for Easter to this area in the year 768. Later it became a clas church. The present building is of the late C12-early C13 origin, subsequently extended eastwards, and was modified or largely rebuilt c1400, at which time the tower was probably built. It was repaired after neglect in 1663 and was restored and the tower raised in height and buttresses added in 1858-1861, and refloored and reseated in 1878-9 by Arthur Baker and some windows replaced. A S porch was added in 1879, the date cut on a tie beam. Exterior: Rubble stone walls with limestone and sandstone dressings, slate roof. Denbighshire double nave plan extending full length to include the chancel in the S nave, and St Elfod s Chapel in the N. West tower and timber framed S porch. A former side chamber on the S, perhaps that referred to as for Edward Lluyd in the late C17, although possibly the priest s lodging which was required to be built in 1304, has been demolished and the door from the church blocked. In the N wall, two cyclopean blocked doors, one to the former Gwrych pew, the other to the chapel, and a further cyclopean door in the W wall of the S nave. Lean-to on N side of chancel. Varied 2 and 3-light traceried windows, most altered in the C19 restorations. The two E windows are identical, c1400, each of 5 lights of panelled tracery. The tower has a tall bell stage with louvred openings and crenellated parapet and C19 replaced windows. Tower doo

From Cadw under OGL v3.