Eglwys St Cross

The church of St Cross is a parish church dating from the late 19th century, built in a neo-Norman style that demonstrates an understanding of the emerging Arts and Crafts movement through its restrained design and high-quality detailing. The church comprises a nave, chancel, eastern bellcote, north porch, and north transept. The walls are slightly battered and constructed of irregularly coursed rubblestone, with Anglesey limestone ashlar used for detailing. It has slate roofs with coped verges on simple kneelers, and well-detailed ironwork (ferralla) to the windows.

The nave has three two-light round-headed windows on the north wall and four on the south side; paired round-headed windows are high up in the west wall. A simple ashlar bellcote with twin round-headed openings tops the east gable. The south wall of the chancel has a two-light bar tracery window on the west side and two narrow round-headed windows tucked below the eaves on the east side. A prominent three-light round-headed east window, the central light being taller, has a continuous dripmould, with a quatrefoil and a stone cross above the gable. A single round-headed window is present on the north side, and a doorway is situated in the angle with the transept, which features a four-light round-headed window with a continuous dripmould on its north wall and a tapering circular chimney stack to the west. The north porch has a round-headed outer doorway and a stone cross with the inscribed date “1892” on the gable.

The interior is simple and austere, with plastered walls, splayed windows, a trussed rafter roof over the nave, and a panelled ceiling in the chancel with horizontal boarding. Finely jointed slate floors are covered with timber boarding around the pews. A slightly pointed chancel arch, in two chamfered orders, has plain responds and minimal capitals. A low screen wall at the top of three steps incorporates a simple pulpit on the north side, formed by the wall being slightly higher and splayed towards the nave. A neo-Norman piscina and sedilia are located on the south wall of the chancel. Late 19th-century fittings and furnishings are largely intact, including nave pews and peg-jointed choir stalls. A pipe organ (built in 1895 and restored in 1988) is situated in the arch leading to the north transept, above a panelled screen with a panelled door. The altar rails, constructed from scrolled ironwork, define the raised sanctuary in memory of Owen Maelgwyn Roberts, who died in World War II and is also commemorated at Llandygai Church. The east window contains stained glass depicting Christ on the cross, flanked by the Virgin and St John, designed by Edward Burne-Jones. There is an inscription below the window stating: "To the Glory of God, and in memory of George Sholto Gordon, Baron Penrhyn, founder of this Church. Born September 30th 1836, died March 10th 1907. This window was erected as a tribute of affection and esteem by the tenants of the Penrhyn Estate 1907.” A marble tablet serves as a war memorial on the north wall of the nave.