St Cynfarwy's Church

St Cynfarwy’s Church stands in the hamlet of Llechgynfarwy on Anglesey, a quiet corner of north Wales. The building sits beside the road in the centre of the settlement, surrounded by a grassy churchyard. A 12th-century font survives from an earlier church on the site, though most of what stands today was rebuilt in the 19th century. The church is still used for services by the Church in Wales, one of nine in a single parish. Since 2009 it has been without a resident priest, yet the building remains open for worship. The church carries Grade II listing for its special interest as a simple rural church of medieval origin. A 17th-century chapel was added to the south side in 1664, and the whole structure was largely reconstructed in 1867 by Henry Kennedy, architect to the Diocese of Bangor. Historians note that the Black Death claimed local clergy in 1349, and the church’s font appears in records from 1254. Owen Humphrey Davies, a 19th-century composer and later clergyman, served here from 1895 until his death in 1898. Inside, the nave and chancel form a single space under a 19th-century slate roof with exposed beams. The 12th-century font stands at the west end on a later base, its bowl carved with saltire crosses. A 1632 silver chalice, donated by William Bold, is noted for its rare design, while a brass plate commemorates an 18th-century bequest. The east window holds stained glass from about 1860, and the south chapel contains a marble memorial to Helen Bold, linking the family to the Tudors. Outside, buttresses support the walls, and Tudor roses decorate the stone bellcote at the west end.