Welsh Journals

present nave which has a magnificent hammer beam principle roof of about 1500 which came from some other ecclesiastical building. Caerwys. The present stone arcade was erected in the last decade of the nineteenth century. It replaced the wooden piers and beams of about 1500. The present south nave was the original early church. The tower at the west end of the north aisle appears to be of the late fifteenth century with later additions, although often erroneously stated to be of a much earlier date. Northop. Entirely rebuilt on old foundations in 1839. The stone piers of the arcade are of about 1500 and according to an old lithograph, the original arches were of the depressed type, but in the reconstruction of 1839 the arches were demolished and replaced by high pointed arches. The single eastern arch, originally a canopy to one of the stone effigies of a knight now in the north aisle, but was used as an arch in 1839. The date of this particular arch is late 14th century. The noble tower, ninety-eight feet high, at the west end of the nave was commenced about 1490 and not completed until about the middle of the sixteenth century, probably due to the lack of funds. The narrow north aisle was the original early church with a crypt at the east end now under the vestry. Bodfari. Entirely rebuilt in 1865 on old foundations including a modern stone arcade. The tower would appear to be of the late fifteenth century, but often stated to be of an earlier date. Whiiford. A double-nave church until the mid-nineteenth century when the present nave was rebuilt and a south aisle added in 1846. The north aisle still retains features of about 1500. The tower was rebuilt in 1843. Treuddyn. Originally a double-nave church but entirely demolished in 1876 and a modern church erected on the site. Flint. Originally a double-nave church but entirely demolished in 1836 and a modern church erected on the site. Another economical method of erecting smaller additions to early churches is generally referred to as the transeptal plan. About the year 1500 a transept was often added at the eastern end of the north or south walls adjacent to the sanctuary and in later centuries, when necessary an opposite transept was added. Such a plan avoided building an expensive arcade. A simple wooden beam was sufficient to cover the span, but in wide transepts a single pier was necessary. (See key plan.) A rather good example of this type of church is to be found at Gyffin, near Conway. The small early church was extended east and west about 1350 giving a long narrow nave 105 feet long by 25 feet wide and about the year 1500 a south transept was added. Then again, as late as 1858, a north transept was added. It is well to be reminded that the chief benefactors of churches were the lords of the manors and even in Wales many of them were wealthy enough in the late fifteenth century to engage skilled masons for the arcades and skilled carpenters for some of the rich roofs and chancel screens which we see today, as well as remaining portions of excellent painted glass of the period. It must be understood that many of the dates given in this article can only be approximate but they will serve as a guide to the periods of construction and also that both types of these small parish churches were in a category of their own, rarely found outside of North Wales. George LLOYD