St Tyrnog
Llandyrnog, Denbighshire
Sit, reflect and pray as you watch the light filtering through the stunning medieval stained glass, dappling the interior of the church with an atmosphere you'll find it hard to forget.
St Cwyfan’s has been a place of worship for around thirteen centuries and is named after Cwyfan, a follower of St Beuno.
This small, fairly remote church, on the ancient pilgrim route to Holywell and mentioned in the Norwich Taxation of 1254, retains much its mediaeval form and charm. It is an ancient Grade II* listed building in an elevated Llan site and Its location high on a hill offers outstanding views over the Vale of Clwyd. Llangwyfan is a small rural community, close to the Offa’s Dyke Path and the Clwydian Hills.
This historic site is in a beautiful setting, with an attractive and simple interior incorporating box pews and is unusual in as much as it was not ‘modernised’ by the Victorians, although the font, placed under the west window is 19th century and has Biblical scenes and cherub heads embossed all around it. The east window has the only stained glass, dated 1853.
On the south side of the bell tower, which contains a bell dated 1665, you can see the remains of a mass dial, in the form of a sundial. A stone grave plaque opposite the church door commemorates Ffoulk Jones, 1699-1801, whose life spanned three centuries, the reigns of four monarchs, the invention of the steam engine, the rise of non conformity, the Jacobite rebellion, and the French and American revolutions.
The church is a very attractive setting for quiet services and special offices. People come here to pray, to enjoy the atmosphere and the peace, and to visit graves and/or picnic. In springtime the churchyard is awash with snowdrops.