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View Full Version : St Digains Church. Llangernyw Conwy. North Wales.



SilentHill
29-04-2011, 01:46 PM
I forgot all about this until going through my library and reminiscing over the urbex meet ups with the firm on weekend jaunts over to that there luvly Wales :D

We had just been to Hafadunos Hall which resulted in an irate woman who was clearly not impressed by our presence. We retreated rather quickly as she seemed to be getting angrier by the second. Anyway! More on Hafadunos Hall shortly, and all will become clear then.

As we were now blessed with a few hours spare we passed through the pretty village of Llangernyw, and spotted this lovely little church. We parked up and went for a butchers ::smile

The church is an early medieval foundation, although the church itself as seen today is thought to be no earlier than the 13th century. It may have been extended in the late medieval period, acquiring It's unusual cruciform shape at the time.

The church is designated grade 2 listed, and that's the reason for sticking it in this section :thumb

I hope you enjoy this quaint little chapel :D

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc2.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc4.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc8-1.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc9-1.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc10.jpg

It's open :thumb

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc5.jpg

Some rather stunning detailed glass work too.

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc6.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc5-1.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc3.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc8.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc7.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc9.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc4-1.jpg

I was so taken with the stained glass that I forgot to take any internals of the church itself :fail

Some pipeage for Krypton :lol:

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc7-1.jpg

And probably the worlds oldest Yew Tree :D

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/yew.jpg

But outside was this small chapel/tomb

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc1-1.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/wc2-1.jpg






Now I don't know if you can read the inset stone, but it reads as follows.... HAFODUNOS K.F.SANBACH S.SANDBACK 1902 1928.

The Hall is situated close to the village of Llangernyw, Hafodunos Hall was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott between 1861 and 1866 for Henry Robertson Sandbach, who’s family had bought the estate in 1830. The new house replaced one which had been built in 1674, although the site had been occupied since at least 1530. Scott was amongst the most important of the Gothic Revival architects and proponent of the Gothic style in domestic architecture. Hafodunos is second only to Kelham Hall, Nottinghamshire in Sir George Gilbert Scott’s domestic output, and the only example of his country house style in Wales. John Oldrid Scott was later employed in 1883 to design the elaborate conservatories.

It is a Venetian-inspired Gothic style house, predominantly of two storeys with an attic, built in soft red brick with diaper work and extensive stone dressings to windows and doors. The garden front is the most impressive side of the house, with the octagonal rotunda to the right, the entrance front tower at the back and the conservatories and service quarters to the left. Inside the house the most notable features are a series of plaster bas-reliefs designed by John Gibson and Thorwaldsen, the international sculptor who was also close friends with the Sandbach family. Five other Gibson marble reliefs from the house, and a free standing Nymph by R J Wyatt, are now at the Walker Art Gallery Liverpool.

Since leaving the hands of the Sandbach family during the early 1930’s, Hafodunos has had a succession of owners and different uses from being a private girl’s school to an old people’s home. It finally shut down in 1993 and no suitable long term use was found. Dry rot had become the major problem, spreading rapidly through the servant’s quarters into the main house. By 1998 Conwy Council were contemplating serving an Urgents Works Notice but unfortunately the owner died leaving the estate in debt. Hafodunos was put on the market again and was eventually bought in 2001 by a Colwyn Bay developer. During the late spring of 2004 he unveiled plans for hotel and Caravan Park, but on the night of 13th October the house was the subject of a devastating fire which gutted the main block.

So it seems the chapel is a memorial to the Sanbach family.

And here's the Hall today. A sad sight indeed.

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/haf1.jpg

http://i1043.photobucket.com/albums/b432/SilentThrill/Digian%20Chapel%20Wales/haf2.jpg

Ta for looking :thumb

SilentHill
29-04-2011, 01:47 PM
Soz for the large images folks. I did resize before posting but photobucket playing silly buggers again :(

Nicola
29-04-2011, 01:55 PM
You have got some gorgeous pictures there! :thumb

The Littlest Jellyfish
29-04-2011, 01:55 PM
Very nice indeed, those stained glass shots are very juicy. If ever you go back, make sure you call into the Old Stag - it's the best pub for miles around, has excellent local beers on tap and a fascinating collection of 'stuff' hanging from the ceiling.

minxy*
29-04-2011, 04:44 PM
Ive been to the Old Stag pub, it used to be my dads local lol, ace pics SH, im loving the oldest tree shot and poor old Hafodunos Hall :thumb

judderman62
30-04-2011, 07:05 AM
Very nice indeed, those stained glass shots are very juicy. If ever you go back, make sure you call into the Old Stag - it's the best pub for miles around, has excellent local beers on tap and a fascinating collection of 'stuff' hanging from the ceiling.

ahhh we were lucky then for that is indeed where we went for a shandy and a bite to eat - yummy food and very eclectic collection of stuff inc 2-3 scorpions in little glass frames on the wall.

A most interesting and indeed excellent watering hole indeed :-)

Nice shots silent lord

the kwan
30-04-2011, 09:32 AM
loving the stained glass shots..awesome

SilentHill
07-05-2011, 09:35 AM
Ta for the comments peeps. :thumb The site is reputed to contain some ancient standing stones which I missed :(

Clough
07-05-2011, 10:31 AM
Nice pics mate!

SilentHill
07-05-2011, 11:18 PM
Cheers mate :thumb

BatteriesNotIncluded
10-05-2011, 12:01 PM
2 words spring to mind....fucking awesome!