Open Doors - St. Gredifael’s, Penmynydd

St Gredifael’s Church stands in a quiet spot a few yards away from the minor road linking the villages of Rhoscefnhir and Penmynydd. Gredifael was a saint from the 6th century. According to one tradition, he was the son of Ithel Hael who spent some time at Whitland, an ecclesiastical centre  in south west Wales.  According to the late local historian R. Cyril Hughes, he was a cousin to Tygái. The only establishment named after him is the church at Penmynydd  and the village’s previous name apparently was Llangredifael.

The present building is believed to date from the 14th century, although traces of a previous church from the 12th century can be seen in its foundations. The porch was added in the 15th century. In 1536 a small chapel was built on the northern side of the church and it is there that a large alabaster tombstone can be seen, the grave of Goronwy Fychan, a cousin of Owain Glyndŵr, and his wife Myfanwy. Full sized effigies of the two can be seen on top of the casket. Goronwy was at one time Bangor Diocese’s Land Steward. 

Goronwy was also great-uncle to Owain Tudur, descendant of later Tudor families in Ynys Môn. There was a close relationship between the church and the Tudors. The Tudor Rose can be seen in a small stained glass window in the chapel and the chancel ceiling has been painted in the Royal Tudor colours, red, green and white. 

Services are only held occasionally at this church.

Address - St. Gredifael’s, Penmynydd, LL61 5BX,  Anglesey.                SH 517749 

The church is situated about a mile off the B5420 - the Menai Bridge to Llangefni Road.

No wheelchair access is available.

Photo© Warren Kovach website: https://www.angleseyhistory.co.uk/places/penmynydd/index.html

The church will be open and stewarded on Sunday 28 September between 11am and 4pm.