Church of St Beuno

Church of St Beuno

This is an aisleless church of 4 bays with continuous nave and chancel, built in rubble stonework thinly rendered (buttered), with pebbledashing at the west end and a 19th-century slate pitched roof. The church contains much 15th-century fabric, particularly in the roof structure, and was restored in 1851-3 and later.

The south side has a gabled porch near the west end with a round-arched entry formed of split stone voussoirs, a boarded door, and tiny windows to either side depicting St Gybi and St Cyngar, with chamfered purlins within. East of the porch are 3 square-headed windows with 2-pointed lights formed in timber. The west end has a square-headed window in the gable and a round-headed window below, which replaces a former doorway. The north side features a gable-ended vestry with a chimney stack entered from the east, beside a monopitch-roofed outbuilding, with 2 windows similar to those on the south beyond. The east end has a reset 3-light window with round-arched heads and chamfered jambs; projecting stones at springing level mark the position of the former label moulding. A rendered bellcote with crucifix terminal surmounts the roof. At the southeast corner under the eaves is a sundial dated 1816, retaining its gnomon and inscribed with an englyn in memory of Jeff Holland, rector.

Internally, the walls are plastered above boarded dado. The roof is constructed with five to six 15th-century knee-braced trusses, strengthened during the 19th-century restoration with iron ties, and features a boarded panelled ceiling over the chancel bay with inscribed wall-plate cornice all round.

The fittings include a Jacobethan-style arcaded chancel screen, an octagonal panelled pulpit of 1887, and a lectern of oak carved in the form of a large angel with spreading wings by Mrs Constance Mary Greaves, an aunt of architect Clough William Ellis. Similarly, the font cover is carved in the form of a winged eagle.

The stained glass includes a north window by Ward and Hughes of 1896 to Marian Owen of Ymlylch, and a south chancel window with strong geometric pattern by Meyer of Munich to Elinor S Huddart. The nave contains 3 further Huddart memorial windows. The west window under the bellcote contains good early 16th-century yellow-stain glass depicting the head of a bishop with vestments, inscribed with a prayer for Meredyt a vean ap Robert and his wife Margerta verch Maurice, who commissioned the window. He was the grandfather of Sir John Wynn, had 5 wives and 26 children, and died in 1525.

Monuments are numerous. Against the east wall left of the altar is a white marble or alabaster draped cartouche by R Wynne with putti beneath the drapes and coloured arms and crest at the top connected by hanging garlands, commemorating Sir Robert Owen of Clenennau (died 1666), deputy sheriff and Sergeant Major General of the royalist troops in North Wales, who was sentenced to death but reprieved. Below is a winged putto with inscription dated 1680. The long Latin inscription explains that John Owen, a soldier, showed undoubted loyalty to King Charles I, for which 'the power of God turned back the sharp edge of the Executioner's axe', and that Charles II restored both himself and his own.

On the north side of the altar is a white marble tablet on slate to Nathaniel Matthew of Wem and Pakenham (died 1867), and a similar monument by L Pool to May Matthew (died 1852). A bronze cartouche commemorates Richard Methuen Greaves of Wern (died 1942).

On the south wall of the nave is an upright marble panel on slate with round crenel over by Barker of West Brompton to Elinor Sophia Huddart of Brynker; a Carrara marble sarcophagus tablet to Joseph Huddart, aged 9; a tablet to Sir Joseph Huddart of Bath (died 1841) with son Augustus added; and a tablet in Carrara marble to Ralph Huddart, son (died 1839). Also present are tablets to William Maurice of Clenenay (died 1622) and Emanuel Annwyl (died 1646). The nave north wall has a monument to Flight Lieutenant Tony Knowles. At the rear of the church is a large hatchment of 1870 with arms of Jones-Parry of Madryn, Lleyn, set in a lozenge with their motto 'Nec timet nec tumet'.