Church of St Elidan

Church of St Elidan

This is a double-naved church, characteristic of the region, with the south nave being shorter than the north. It is built in local irregularly coursed limestone masonry, though much of the masonry, particularly at the east and north west, is a 19th-century rebuild. The roofs are of slate with ridges of red tile, and stone coped gables with terminal cross finials, except at the west of the north nave where there is a two-opening bellcote. A deep timber wallplate is exposed externally on the south side.

The windows are in yellow freestone. Both east windows are 15th-century Perpendicular work. The window to the north-nave chancel has five main cinquefoiled lights with ten trefoiled upper lights, while that to the south nave has four main lights with trefoil or quatrefoil heads and quatrefoiled upper lights. Both have slight label moulds. On the south side, the first and third windows are also Perpendicular, while the middle window is flat-headed with trefoiled lights and is inscribed RT 1626. The west window of the south nave, the adjacent vestry door and window, and two north windows west of the porch are all 19th-century insertions. East of the porch on the north side is a three-light window inscribed RP 1618, and a two-light chancel window of the 14th century with a bold label mould including one surviving terminal head. The main north door is also 14th-century, with a bold label moulding and two terminal heads similar to that of the last-mentioned window. Shutter pins and hooks survive on some of the northern windows, and all retain their glazing stanchions and saddle bars. The porch is 14th-century, with a massive carpentry outer frame and a much lighter inner frame.

Internally, the church is divided by a stone arcade of five pointed arches, with the nave and chancel to the north being more elaborately detailed. The north nave extends further west and contains a vestry, with access via either the vestry or the 14th-century porch on the north side.

The north nave retains its 14th-century roof in five and a half bays, with arch-braced collar-beam trusses and a single purlin each side. The purlins are supported on large plain curved windbraces, probably inserted during restoration. The south nave is also roofed with collar-beam trusses in five bays, with two purlins each side, both with cusped windbraces. The north nave has plain V struts above the collars, while the south nave has cusped V struts. The chancel and the corresponding part of the south nave are both differentiated by timber waggon ceilings.

The reredos is in Jacobean panelling, reconstructed in the 19th-century restoration, with floral panels above and arch-headed panels below, with plain boarding beneath. To the right of the reredos is an ogee-headed aumbry. The late 17th-century communion rails have broad turned balusters and square newels with knob finials, and double gates. At the north side is a fine large pulpit with vigorous carvings. The upper stage has panels resembling those of the reredos. The front has canted sides to the upper stage, below which is a frieze with mythical beasts, then foliage panels between broad reeded muntins and a lower frieze with a vine trail. A clerk's desk formerly stood below the pulpit, but its joinery is now incorporated into the pulpit structure, which faces south.

At the north entrance is a 19th-century oak-screened lobby with double doors giving access to the interior and a side door to the west. The nave is two steps down from this entrance, but the north west of the nave is an intermediate level defining a baptistery. The font is late medieval and hexagonal, though probably scraped during the restoration work. Most of the interior has modern pews from 1938, but 18th-century box pews remain adjacent to the south wall. A panelled dado runs around the whole interior.

The full height timber screen between the nave and the vestry has double doors and two high-level windows. The beam at door head height carries a carving on the west side with an angel and two confronting animals, one a griffin with a knotted tail terminating in a second head. The east face of this beam is carved in repeated quatrefoils. Above the windows of this screen is a second beam, probably taken from the rood, with a zigzag line of blind tracery and moulded top edge.

The south nave contains a fine set of monuments. To the left of the east window is a large Baroque memorial in figured white marble to Humphrey Jones of Ddôl (1676) and Jane (171½), featuring a broken scroll pediment with low relief central urn, urns on flanks of the pediment, detached columns against ramped volutes, and an inscription within parted curtains with cherubs. A second inscription to Mrs Jones appears below the shelf with more cherubs. To the right of the window is a Classical monument to Richard Kenrick of Nantclwyd (1802) and Elizabeth, with other family names and coat of arms below. Another large Baroque monument on the south wall commemorates Eubule Thelwall (1694) and others. A monument to Lieutenant George Vivyan Naylor-Leyland (1914) by Gaffin features Ionic pilasters and a heavy broken pediment with military banner, accompanied by a Guards officer's helmet and sword. A plain plaque commemorates Sir Vivyan Edward Naylor-Leyland (1987). A simplified Classical monument honours the Lloyd family of Nant Clwyd Isa. To the west of this group is a 19th-century panel with the Lord's Prayer, the Commandments and the Apostles' Creed in Welsh. The only memorial on the north side is a picture representing the Blessed Edward Jones, martyred in 1590, described as 'a man of this parish'. Small 18th-century floor brasses are also present.

Small fragments of medieval stained glass survive and have been incorporated in the corners and upper lights of the east window and elsewhere. The glazing is generally Cathedral tinted glass installed in the 1890 restoration.