History

Probably C13 in origin, the earliest reference to the church is in the lay subsidy roll of 1292-3 as it is not mentioned in the Valuation of Norwich, 1254. Rebuilt in 1593, some of the roof timbers of this rebuild survive; Griffith Vaughan, of Cors y Gedol, was the prime mover in the rebuilding of the church.
In 1615 a special license was granted, by Oliver Lloyd, LL.D., Commissory appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the diocese of Bangor, to Griffith Vaughan (d.1616) to build the family chapel and burial place; the screen was erected in 1620 by his son William. The S wall of the chancel was rebuilt in 1663 (a datestone on the outer wall bears the initials and date WV 1663 - for Griffith Vaughan's great-grandson William).
In 1853 the W end was rebuilt and the bellcote erected, the windows in the S wall and the porch was also rebuilt and the 1593 datestone reset. It is likely that the E end was also rebuilt and the tracery inserted in the Perpendicular E window at this time. Further restorations were undertaken in 1901-2, when the N window at the W end of the nave was inserted, and again in 1925-6.

Exterior

Rural parish church comprising structurally undivided nave and chancel, with N chapel and S porch. Built of mortared rubble masonry with freestone dressings, foundation plinth at W end. Slate roof with gable copings on shaped kneelers; E gable cross finial and W gable bellcote.
The porch has a shallow pointed arched doorway with square label and datestone in the apex above that bears a shield containing the initials and date: I H S / 1593. To R are 2 rectangular windows of paired trefoil-headed lights with hoodmoulds.
The E window has a pointed arched frame and 3 cinquefoil-headed lights with Perpendicular tracery. The N chapel is in alignment and has 2 round-headed windows along the E wall. The N wall has a window of 3 round-headed lights with hollow chamfered jambs and there is a single rectangular light above. In the W wall there is a door with a flattened 3-centred arched head and square groove around the edge. Above and to S of the door is a blocked original window of one light under a round arch.
Towards the W end of the N wall is a late C16 door that has a pointed arch head of rough stone voussoirs and there is a modern window of paired trefoil-headed lights above. At the W end there is a single lancet window with chamfered jambs and pointed hoodmould; the bellcote has an advanced corbelled base.

Interior

The church has an exposed roof of arch braced collared trusses and cusped windbraces. The E end is panelled to form a canopy over the altar and has a billetted cornice, ornately carved ribs with geometric patterned motifs and shaped chamfered dividers. The chapel roof also has arched braced collared trusses with cusped braces over the collar; down to wall posts on corbels, one along the W wall bearing the date: 1615. The chapel is divided from the chancel by a fine early C17 screen that bears the initials and date: W V 1620 (for William Vaughan. The lower portion of the screen is panelled with a carved cornice, the upper part is open with diagonally set timber rails, alternate rails larger and with ribbed chamfered angles with run out stops; entry to the chapel is through central double doors that are similarly detailed.
The chapel was built for the Vaughan family at Cors y Gedol and houses a fine collection of memorials. On the E wall is a carved sandstone memorial to Gruffith Vaughan Esq. d.1616, he was the prime mover in the rebuilding of the church and was granted the license for the chapel to be erected. The memorial has paired round-headed arched recesses flanked by engaged columns with stiff leafed foliage at the capitals; each recess houses kneeling figures facing towards a central pier. Above is a billetted cornice to a moulded coping surmounted by 3 shields of arms and flanked by obelisks on the advanced corners. Below the recesses are two inscribed tablets, that to L reads: HEARE LYETH THE BODIE OF GRUFFTH / VAVGHAN ESQVIER ON OF THE LYVE / TENANTS OF THE COVNTIE OF MERION / ETH HE MARIED KATHERIN ONE OF THE DAVGHTERS OF WILLIAM GRVFFYTH OF / CAERNARVON ESQVIER BY HER HAD ISSVE / TWO SONNES AND FOVR DAVGHTERS / WHO DIED THE 9 DAIE OF NOVEMBER / ANNO DOMIN 1616 That to R reads: AND IN HIS PERFECT HEALTH HE HATH BE / STOVED ALL HIS CHILDREN WILLIAM / HIS HEIR TO ANE THE INHARETRIX / OF TALHENBONT MARGARET TO / HOOKES OF CONWY HE DECEASED TO / WYN OF CONWY IANE TO RIWGOCH / ANE TO NANEY IONET TO CLAHENE / AND HIS SONE IOHN HE LEFT / HIM VN MARIED.
The tablets are set above a corbelled crudely decorated carved shelf.
Below the window at the N end of the chapel is a stone fireplace with basket headed arched opening; to L is an ornate marble memorial on a shaped slate background. The dedication tablet is set within floriate decoration and below there is a shield bearing the cross saltire; the tablet itself is weathered and the dedication illegible.
Along the S wall are a series of memorials, from R to L (N to S):
A marble memorial surmounted by an urn to Margaret Vaughan, daughter and heiress of Evan Lloyd and widow of Richard Vaughan d. 1758, also their daughters, sisters Ann Vaughan d.1760 and Elizabeth d.1772.
Marble memorial surmounted by ornately pattern urn and on a shaped shelf on fluted brackets flanking the W door to Evan Lloyd Vaughan d. 1791.
Granite and marble memorial surmounted by a draped portrait of William Vaughan, eldest son of Richard and Margaret, d.1775 (rumoured to have been designed by Inigo Jones, though stylistically unlikely to have been).
Marble tablet to William Ansell of Cors y Gedol, d.1889.
In the main body of the church there are C17 gated rails at the entrance to the chancel, a moulded rail on shaped balusters, and a canted rail at the altar formed by a moulded rail on chamfered stanchions. At the W end of the nave is a C16 octagonal font. In the SW corner there is a modern vestry that has a cornice comprised of 2 beams bearing foliage and pomegranates, possibly taken from the cornice of an ancient screen. On the S wall of the nave is a marble tablet Reverend Eneon Humffreys d.1731. The E window has a central light of Jesus with John the Baptist: one faith, one lord, one baptism. The W window is dedicated to William Williams MD and his sisters Ann, Kate, Elizabeth and Mary of Bennar Fawr.

Reasons for Listing

Listed at Grade II* as a rural church that retains many late C16 and early C17 features including decorative roof timbers and a carved screen. The chapel houses a fine collection of C17 and C18 memorials of particular interest for the association with the nearby estate at Cors y Gedol.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• St Dwywe's Church at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17744240

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

• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability