Church Of St Mary

SO 28 SW; 5/6

BETTWS-Y-CRWYN C.P., BETTWS-Y-CRWYN, Church of St Mary

21.3.68

GV

II*

Parish church. Late C13 or C14, nave partly and chancel completely rebuilt in 1860. Coursed limestone rubble with ashlar dressings; slate roof. Nave, chancel and south porch. Verge parapets; semi-integral west bell-turret with plinth and set-back to gabled bellcote with chamfered-arched opening. Nave: south side: three C19 windows, paired lancets with hoodmoulds and carved stops; chamfered arched doorway between first and second windows from left with 6-panelled doors; south porch with chamfered archway, side benches within and hexagonal date stone in gable: "RESTORED/AD/1860". North side: 3 late C13 or C14 lancets with hoodmoulds and carved stops. Chancel: single lancets to north and south with hoodmoulds and carved stops; C15-style East window with three trefoiled ogee-headed lights, panelled tracery and hoodmoulds with carved stops.

INTERIOR: C15 or early C16 six-bay nave roof has arch-braced trusses with moulded bases, collars with cusped V-struts above, two pairs of moulded purlins, and three tiers of cusped wind braces forming quatrefoil panels; collar and tie-beam truss to west with inclined queen struts and V-struts above collar; probably C19 two-bay chancel roof as nave; 8-bay late C15 or C16 screen has round- arched lights with open tracery and bisecting mullions, moulded tie- beam above and open quatrefoiled panel beneath, and central 2-bay opening with carved spandrels; C17 octagonal wooden pulpit with lugged panels and reader's desk with raised and fielded panels; C18 altar rails with turned balusters but minus centre gate; C19 font with C17 panelled cover; C19 pews with bold poppyheads and the names of farms within the parish painted on; C19 panelled sanctuary. Late C18 and early C19 wall tablets.

Despite the unpromising exterior, the interior of this church, with its excellent roof structure and screen, is most rewarding.

B.O.E., p.75; Cranage, Vol.5, Pp.429-30. - -

Listing NGR: SO2058481368