THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. BEUNO

Introduction

The church was founded by Beuno ap Bugi ap Gwnlliw, an itinerant Celtic Saint, who later became the Abbot of Clynnog Fawr, on the north coast of the Lleyn peninsula in Gwynedd, and who died around A.D. 640.

Nothing remains of the Church that stood upon this site in those far off days. The wattle and daub of which it was constructed have long since reduced to dust. Had not the elements taken their toll then it is certain that the Norsemen would have done so when they attacked and pillaged this quiet parish in the year A.D. 968.

Not until the 12th century did the parishioners of Aberffraw decide to construct a more permanent structure in stone, but all that remains of that early masonry is the wall on either side of the South Door, the arch set into the West wall and two small projecting sections against which the half pillars of the central arcade have been constructed.

At this early stage, therefore, the church occupied only about half of its present width and the nave extended only as far as the slight recess in the South wall near the choir stalls.
It is thought that at this time the nave was divided from the chancel by the semicircular arch decorated with chevrons as well as human and animal heads currently reset in the west wall and which was rediscovered by the Rev. Hugh Wynne Jones during repairs in 1840.

During the 16th century the North wall of the old church was almost completely demolished, replaced with the arcade and the North aisle added, thus doubling the capacity of the original building, and thereby introducing a relatively unusual feature of a "Double aisled" church to the Bangor Diocese.

Continuous use in the service of God and the exposure to the elements have resulted in several additions and renovations over the centuries. The South porch over the 14th century doorway and the vestry on the North side both date from the restoration of 1868.

Architectural Description

The Chancel (25 ft. by 16 ft). The E. and S. walls have been rebuilt in modern times: the N. side contains the two eastern bays of the 16th-century arcade which runs the whole length of the church. The arches are four-centred, of two hollow-chamfered orders, with octagonal piers and semi-octagonal responds with moulded capitals and chamfered bases.

The Nave (50 ft. by 16 ft.) has on the N. side the two western bays of the central arcade, similar to the others. The S., and possibly the W. wall, is of the
12th century; in the S. wall a much weathered original stone string is visible. The 14th-century S. doorway (PI. 57) has a pointed head of two chamfered orders, and chamfered jambs with moulded stops and chamfered imposts. In the W. wall is a semi-circular arch (PI. 29) of the late 12th-century, of two orders, both decorated, the inner with chevrons and the outer with a series of crude animal heads; the inner order
is supported on plain responds, and the outer on detached shafts with cushion capitals and roll-moulded bases; the abaci are chamfered and the arch is contained within a moulded label. The arch has been reset and reversed in its present position, and is probably the chancel-arch of the original church.