Church of St Mwrog

Church of St Mwrog

The Church of St Mwrog is a medieval parish church comprising a nave and chancel in one, a north aisle, a west tower, and a south porch. It is constructed of unusually large blocks of roughly coursed stone, with 19th-century work distinguished by smaller stone blocks found in the north wall, parts of the east end, and upper levels of the south wall. The roof is slate with tile cresting, raised stone copings on moulded kneelers, and a sandstone eaves cornice. Most windows are 19th-century, built of yellow or red sandstone; those to the north and south feature 2- or 3-light designs with trefoiled lancets, while the east windows are in Perpendicular style.

The massive embattled tower rises in three stages and is now aligned with the north aisle. The original doorway to the west end has a shallow-pointed arched head of large blocks of hollow-moulded red sandstone beneath an original hoodmould, now partly eroded. The fluted canted jambs are probably later additions. The door is double boarded and studded. A 19th-century 2-light yellow sandstone window sits above the entrance. A small opening with red sandstone surround at mid-level on the south side may be medieval; three small lights to the north side light the northwest stair. Each face of the tower has a 2-light Decorated belfry opening of yellow sandstone, probably 19th-century. Battlemented parapets rise above a plain string course, with a saddleback roof.

The south side of the church is dominated by a timber-framed gabled porch on a stone plinth with a slate roof. The timber-framed front has jowled posts supporting a chamfered tie-beam, probably original features. The principal rafters appear to be 19th-century. Angle struts support the gable, and a timber panel with a bottle glass roundel is present. Beneath the tie-beam are late 20th-century double boarded doors. The sides of the porch are slate-hung with single- and 3-light windows featuring ovolo-moulded mullions and quarry glazing; one to the east side is blocked. The interior of the porch features a 2-bay arched-braced roof with curved windbraces. A flagstone floor, wooden side benches, and horizontal boarding beneath the windows complete the interior. The doorway leading into the nave has a chamfered pointed-arched head containing a boarded door with strap hinges; above is a truss boarded with a band of pierced quatrefoils attached to the tie-beam.

The south side of the nave has two red sandstone windows to the right of the porch: a 2-light to the centre and a 3-light to the right; the former could be medieval. The east end has 19th-century Perpendicular-style windows of yellow sandstone, both 3-light with trefoiled heads under hoodmoulds. The chancel window has a triangular head, while that to the aisle is rectangular. At the west end of the nave is a similar 2-light rectangular window with ogee-headed lights. The north side has three 2-light windows in yellow sandstone with trefoiled heads.

The interior features a three-bay arcade of red sandstone with wide shallow-pointed arches of two orders of chamfered mouldings. The piers comprise four clustered circular shafts with square corbels that chamfer down to octagons. A medieval seven-bay arched-brace roof spans the nave and chancel, with two tiers of curved windbraces. A fine medieval tower arch at the west end of the north aisle has a four-centred arch with four orders of red sandstone mouldings; a small infilled opening sits above. The aisle has a five-bay arched-brace roof of 19th-century date, possibly restored in the 20th century. A chapel at the east end of the aisle features a boarded wagon roof, also 19th-century. In the east wall is a broad segmental-arched recess forming a wall-passage around the east respond of the arcade. A medieval octagonal bowl font of red sandstone on a later broached base stands in front.

The remaining fittings and fixtures are 19th-century. The nave contains pews with moulded bench ends and an octagonal wooden pulpit to the right with blind traceried panels. The chancel holds choir stalls with traceried decoration, a moulded wooden altar rail with traceried openwork beneath, and a wood-panelled reredos with brattishing. The northwest corner houses a large panelled pipe organ, partly blocking the west window. The aisle contains wood-panelled screens with rosette decoration, screening the chapel and tower, both 20th-century additions.

Monuments include 18th- and 19th-century wall monuments. At the east end of the aisle is a pedimented pilastered tablet to Thomas Hughes, Rector of the parish and Master of Ruthin School (died 1776), by R. Westmacott. On the north wall of the aisle is a Grecian-style tablet to Jane Hughes (died 1829) and to her brother Thomas Jones, by John Wright of Chester.

The stained glass on the north and south sides is contemporary with the church's restoration and is by Lavers and Barraud. These include a north chapel window depicting St Mark and St Matthew, to Robert and Sarah Anne Ellis; a window to the south wall of the chancel, to Elizabeth Williams of Merllyn. The east window of the north aisle may be by Burlison & Grylls, 1907, to Robert Blisard. The east chancel window, showing the nativity, resurrection, and ascension, is to Peter Roberts of Pen y bont.