Church of St Gwyndaf

Church of St Gwyndaf

Parish church in Neo-Norman style, comprising nave, transepts, south porch, north vestry and short apsidal chancel. The building is constructed of regularly coursed and dressed rubblestone blocks with tooled ashlar dressings, and is roofed in slate with slate-coped verges to the nave and Celtic crosses adorning the transepts and east end of the nave.

The south side of the nave has two narrow round-headed windows to the right of the porch. The porch itself is gabled with a round-headed outer arch and a floor of slate slabs, including reused grave slabs. The south door is boarded with nail studding and has elaborate strap hinges. The west wall of the nave features a 2-light round-headed window with a plain central mullion and continuous hoodmould, topped by a gabled bellcote containing 2 bells inscribed "1724 Wigan". Windows to the north wall of the nave match those on the south; windows to the gable ends of the transepts match the west wall of the nave. All windows except that to the north transept have leaded latticed lights; the north transept window contains stained glass. A lean-to vestry is attached to the west wall of the north transept in the angle with the nave, featuring a square-headed nail-studded plank door to the west and a narrow rectangular window to the north. The semi-circular apsidal chancel has a conical roof and three round-headed windows, all with stained glass.

The nave roof spans 6 bays with arch-braced trusses on stone corbels, V-struts from collars to principal rafters, double-purlins and exposed rafters. A plain round-headed arch opens to the chancel, which has a blue-painted ribbed ceilure decorated with gilded stars. The interior contains a complete set of benches with ledges for prayer books and a circular font on a moulded circular plinth, probably dating to 1847. The chancel's late 19th-century stained glass depicts, from north to south, Faith, Hope and Charity. The north transept stained glass commemorates Thomas Jones, who died in India in 1919. A wooden lectern in front of the altar steps is fitted with brass candelabra. A 20th-century altar rail is flanked by square wooden pulpits with Norman blind arcading; the northern pulpit dates to 1928 and is in memory of Lieutenant Colonel John Lloyd Thomas Jones.

From the old church, several items survive. A chest in the north transept, dating to the 17th or 18th century, has a strap-hinged curved lid made from 2 planks, 3 original large locks and 2 additional small locks. Two small copper collection shovels with wooden handles are kept in the chancel; their backs are inscribed "Rhodd Lhwyd Foxwist A.B./ O Rhyddallt/ i Eglwys Llanwnda/ Hydref 16, 1772". A mahogany chair of circa 1800 and an early 18th-century communion table of oak are housed in the vestry; the communion table has shaped brackets supporting heavy turned legs and framing, with a later top. A loose slate slab in the vestry is inscribed "This gallery was rebuilt 1748" with the names of benefactors, the minister and churchwardens beneath. An oak bench at the west end of the nave has a panelled back and shaped arms (one now missing) with plain splayed legs; the top rail is inscribed "AMW H.R. Esqr BODADEN" and one panel bears the name "Pengwern".

The church contains a notable collection of monuments. Fixed to the west wall of the nave is the dismantled stone altar tomb of Owen Meredith, dated 1612, displaying several coats-of-arms and panels containing carved figures—one depicting a single bearded man, presumably Meredith, and others showing kneeling children, some holding infants (probably grandchildren). A fine collection of 18th-century wall monuments includes Thomas Bulkeley (died 1707) with a draped cartouche flanked by putti and coat-of-arms on the east wall of the south transept. Two oval-shaped monuments stand on the west wall: one to Catherina Quellyn (died 1746 at 7 months) and another to Anne and Hugh Quellyn (died 1730 and 1749), erected by their son Philip (father of Catherina), who died in 1782. The east wall of the north transept bears monuments to Hon Mrs Lumley Bulkeley (died 1718) with eulogy and Lady Elinor Williams (died 17-9). This transept also contains various 20th-century wall tablets to members of the Lloyd-Jones, Armstrong-Jones and Roberts families. To the right of the chancel arch is a plain wall tablet to Reverend D L Williams, vicar of Llanwnda from 1860 to 1914, and on the north wall of the nave is a simple memorial to Captain Henry Thomas, who "lost his life in going on board his ship" the Brig Bellona in the River Menai in 1829.