St Beuno's Church, Aberffraw

St Beuno’s Church stands in Aberffraw on the south-west coast of Anglesey, a quiet village churchyard on the south side of Church Street. A religious site was founded here in the 7th century by St Beuno, a Welsh holy man who later became abbot of Clynnog Fawr. The oldest parts of the present building date from the 12th century, though much of what remains comes from later enlargements. In the 16th century a second aisle was added on the north side, linked to the nave by an arcade of four arches. Restoration in 1840 uncovered a blocked 12th-century arch in the west wall, possibly the original chancel arch or the entrance to a lost western tower. The church is recognised as a Grade II* listed building because it is a rare Anglesey example of a double-naved church. It contains some of the most significant Romanesque work on the island, including the finely carved 12th-century arch decorated with chevrons and the heads of rams and bulls. The 13th-century octagonal font survives, and the church holds two 18th-century copper collecting shovels. The east window in the north aisle has stained glass by C. A. Gibbs from 1849 depicting the Good Samaritan. Inside, the nave and north aisle each have roofs of six bays with exposed rafters, and the central arcade is supported by octagonal piers. The sanctuary at the east end of the chancel is raised by two steps and marked by a communion rail, with encaustic tiles on the floor. The churchyard contains Commonwealth war graves of a Royal Welsh Fusiliers soldier and two merchant seamen from the First World War.