St John the Baptist
Ysbyty Ystwyth, Ceredigion
A typical little Welsh church at the heart of Ceredigion’s lead mining country.
An impressive building with a wealth of history, affectionately known by the community as Hafod Church.
Thomas Johnes inherited the Hafod Estate in 1790. He created a picturesque landscape, built himself a beautiful mansion designed by Baldwin of Bath, and then in 1803 commissioned James Wyatt, to design an impressive new Gothic style church. He commissioned the renowned Eleanor Code Studio to create a pulpit and font, decorated with the Johnes family Coat of Arms and figures representing the Cardinal Virtues. The font is still to be seen at the church today.
The Renaissance stained glass which he brought back from the Low Country for the east window was bought from an abbey church in Antwerp. Sadly Thomas Johnes's only child Mariamne died at the early age of 23, he commissioned Sir Francis Chantrey Studios to sculpt a marble memorial in her memory. Thomas Johnes himself died in 1812 and was buried in the family vault with his daughter Mariamne at Hafod Church. Years later the Duke of Newcastle arranged for the marble memorial to be transported to the church. Sadly the memorial was shattered by a fire in 1932, but is still in place.
Among other historic treasures salvaged was a Byzantine Urn, once owned by the monks of Strata Florida Abbey. The internal Gothic roof and fittings were badly damaged by the fire, but the excellent restoration work on that occasion was overseen by WD Caroe. He designed the attractive barrel shaped limed oak roof, and the present beautifully detailed furnishings and fittings around some of the original features.