Church of St. John, Ysbyty Ifan, Conwy

History

On this site (originally named Dolgynwal) was founded c1190 a commandery and hospice of the Knights Hospitallers (Knights of St. John of Jerusalem), from which its present, post-Reformation name derives. Its endowments were increased by Llewelyn ap Iorwerth (Llewelyn the Great), 1221-4. Following suppression at the Reformation the church became parochial and the attendant buildings were (presumably) demolished. At its height, the commandery's possessions included the lordship and manor of Ysbyty, the chapel and mill of Penmachno, the manor and church of Carno, the church of Tregynon (Montgomeryshire) and the granges of Gwanas and Llanwddyn. The church itself was restored and partly rebuilt in 1790 at which time it still retained lean-to transepts, formed respectively by the post-Reformation Pantglas chapel on the N and Foelas chapel on the S sides; the W end was at that time partitioned off for use as a school.

The church was demolished in 1858 and a simple replacement by George Benmore erected; it was opened in 1861.

Exterior

Small church in simple Early English style. Of snecked, rough-dressed grey/blue slatestone and brown freestone, randomly juxtaposed and with freestone dressings; on a chamfered plinth. Steeply-pitched roofs with stone-coped gable parapets and gable crosses. Large S porch with plain stepped buttresses to the sides, flush with the front. Double pointed-arched entrance with returned and moulded label; slate-flagged floor and plain open roof. Plain, stopped-chamfered inner entrance and deeply-recessed boarded door with decorative ironwork; trefoil-headed, single-light windows to porch sides. To the W of the porch, on the S side, paired lancet windows with chamfered jambs and trefoil plate tracery heads. To the E a similar paired lancet window, flanked by single-light ones. Similar paired and single windows to the N side with gabled vestry projection in the angle between the chancel. Paired lancets as before to its gable and a Tudor-arched entrance to the E wall; chamfered jambs and a deeply-recessed boarded and studded door. To the L of this, stepped access down to boiler room. Triple-lancet group to E end; large segmental trefoil oculus to W, with cusped tracery.

Interior

5-bay nave with arched-braced collar trusses, the braces continued down below the wallplate level to rest on moulded corbels. Slate-flagged floor to SW area and raised boarded flooring to fixed pitch-pine pews flanking central aisle. Octagonal pitch-pine pulpit in Early English style on a moulded base with chamfered, broach-stopped pedestal; blind trefoil-arched niches and bracketted cornice. Large pointed and chamfered chancel arch. Octagonal font on moulded base with octagonal pedestal and marble bowl. The Medieval octagonal font bowl lies on the floor adjacent. At the W end are three exceptionally fine, though mutilated alabaster effigies of c1530. These are thought to be of Rhys Fawr ap Meredith (standard bearer under Henry Tudor at Bosworth in 1485), his wife Lowri and Robert ap Rhys, their son, who died in 1534. The latter was chaplain to Cardinal Wolsey and is presumed to have commissioned his parent's commemorative effigies together with his own during his lifetime (and judging by their quality from London). In addition there are several medieval tomb fragments including fragmentary sepulchral slabs to 'Kynwricus Filius Lywarch', and 'Maruret F' Hovel'; these are both of C14 date and have foliate and heraldic carving. On the S wall of the nave (E end), is a simple oval wall tablet in coloured marbles to John Edwards of Glyn Esq., d.1773. 3 figurative stained glass windows in the nave (1863; commemorating the Pierce family of Plas Uchaf) and a modern commemorative window of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

Stepped-up chancel with 2-bay roof as before, though with trefoil and quatrefoil piercing at the truss apexes; geometric tiled floor in red, black and yellow. Gothic reading desk with triple-arched tracery decoration to the front. Wrought iron altar rails and a simple Early English-style stone retable with blind, gabled panels, oculi and foliate decoration. On the S wall, a wall monument to the Gethin family, consisting of a recessed brass tablet set within a curious architectural frame in three stages. Polychromed engraved heraldic arms with inscribed name of Maurice Gethin ap Robert Gethin ap Robert Gethin. d. 1598; primitive engraved portraits of family, together with motto: 'LIVE TOO DY AND DY TO LIVE' below. In the SE corner a fine marble mural tablet to Peter Price of Dolgammedd (Meirionedd) Esq., d.1791; open pediment on consoles with surmounting urn and cherubic heads. Pointed arch to vestry with deeply-recessed 4-panel contemporary arched door. Stained glass to E window c1863, depicting the Passion of Christ.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for the special historic interest and exceptional artistic quality of its tomb monuments.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

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II* Pont Ysbyty Ifan
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British Listed Buildings

History in Structure

Church of St. John

A Grade II Listed Building in Ysbyty Ifan, Conwy

Coordinates