Hanes Eglwys Sant Sannan History of St Sannan Church

ST. SANNAN CHURCH LLANSANNAN

THE PARISH OF PETRYAL

ST. SANNAN CHURCH LLANSANNAN

A Short History of the Church
By
Wendy Harders

The former Parish of Llansannan included 13 townships in the district. Today, Llansannan forms part of the Parish of Petryal along with Llanfair T.H., Llangernyw and Gwytherin.
The Church is dedicated to S.Sannan the founder of the Church here in the seventh Century.
He was an Irish Saint and bishop, a friend of S.David and a companion of S.Winifred’s father, and is said to have lived in religious seclusion, and to have been buried at Gwytherin.
The present church was built in the thirteenth century of local rubble masonry, and partly re-built in 1778. In 1879 the church was extensively restored by R. Lloyd Williams at a cost of £1000. It is said that the oak woodwork of the interior was removed during the restoration and used in houses throughout the village, being replaced by the present pitch pine woodwork. Both naves have a pitch pine wagon barrel roof of seven bays supported on wooden pillars.
At the west end of the church there is a total immersion baptistery, covered over in the last twenty five years for safety reasons. There are two fonts. The earlier disused font has a shallow marble bowl surmounted on a tall fluted limestone column with a square plinth base, and may date from the 18th Century. The font in used probably dates from the 19th Century, the cover for which was made in recent times by a parishioner.
The chest “Cist yr Eglwys” is dated 1683. A bench, the side panel carved with poppy head terminals dated 1634, is a warden’s bench.
To the rear of the south nave (west end) is a pitch pine vestry enclosure. There are also a number of 18th & 19th Century gravestones in the floor.
On the north wall there are marble memorials to Ridgeway Owen Meyrick esq. died 1773. Another by W. Spence to Pirec Wynne Yorke died 1837 and Elizabeth Yorke his widow, died 1873. A marble to Diana Yorke died 1805, widow to Philip Yorke of Erddig.
Philip Yorke was born at Erddig, but after his marriage to Diana, lived principally in this parish at Dyffryn Aled. He was an eminent antiquarian and wrote “The Fifteen Royal Tribes of Wales”.
The credence table in the sanctuary was donated by the lady farmers of Deunant in the late 1970’s.
In the Lady Chapel there are several 19th Century coffin plates.
Below the east window are memorials to John and Elin Roberts 1674 and to Mary Salusbury 1692. To the right of the window is a slate slab to John Foulkes, his wife Mary’s son David who all died in October 1756. Above there is a charity plate bearing the names and donations of members of the parish.
The lady chapel east window is of three lights depicting the crucifixion, flanked by the Blessed Virgin Mary and S.John. The window, by Jones and Willis, was given in memory of John Pugh, Rector of Llansannan, and Frances Jane Cooper, his wife, and donated by their son, John Pugh. Below is stone to John Hunter Pugh who died in 1902.
On either side of the main east window are painted wooden tablets inscribed with the Apostles’ Creed and Lord’s Prayer in Welsh. This window is also of three lights – the Light of the World flanked by S.Sannan and S.David. The window is by H. Gustave Miller and was given by Mr. Wynne York of Dyffryn Aled in 1910 in memory of Penelope Wynne York of Dyffryn Aled.
In the south wall is a round headed window dedicated to David Lees Jones, Fighter Pilot, who died in the Second World War in 1945. The window contains a coloured light bearing the image of the young man. Mr. & Mrs. Lees Jones from Foel started the Pensioners Christmas Dinner, which takes place in Llansannan each year. Originally each man was given 1oz of tobacco and each lady 2oz of tea. Now it is more of a social occasion bringing together the people of the village and is run by the Community Council.
Also on the south wall is the War Memorial Tablet.
The highly ornate carved pulpit dating from the 17th Century and comprising part of a three decker pulpit, originally from S.Luke’s Church Liverpool, was given to S.Sannan’s Church by Mr. Frodsham, a Liverpool Solicitor, in 1894.
In a petition of 1682 there is mention of a rood loft above the rood screen dividing the chancel from the nave.
The church door is boarded with huge ornate strap hinges.

Vicars of Llansannan

1520 - Robert Pigott
1551 – Maurice ap Thomas
1588 – Thomas Pigott
1598 – Peter Conway
1599 – Owen Williams
1610 – Richard Jones, Rector of Llanddulas
1611 – Meredith Lloyd
1614 – T. Holland, Rector of Llansanffraid Glan Conwy 1613
1617 – J. Edwards, Rector of St.George 1609. Made Vicar Choral 1623
1622 – Richard Williams
1660 – Edward Pritchard
1662 – Roger Hampton, Rector of Llanddoged 1628
1675 – Robert Lloyd
Second Portion and Vicarage united 1685. The following are Rectors of Llansannan
1697 – Thomas Williams, Rector of St.George 1684, Vicar of Llanrwst 1690, Rector of Denbigh 1697
1726 – Thomas Lloyd, Vicar of Llandrillo yn Rhos 1718
1758 – James Price, Vicar of Bettws Abergele 1746
1782 – Edward Chambers Jones, Vicar of Llannefydd 1773, Vicar Choral 1777, Canon 1794.
1817 – George Strong, Vicar Choral 1800, Perpetual Curate of Dyserth 1801.
1836 – Peter Lewis Williams
1862 – John Pugh
1889 – Robert Ellis
1920 – Jenkin Williams
1941 – Thomas Brynor Davies
1950 – William Arthur Davies
1983 – David Vaughan Griffith
1985 – A. W. Cumberlidge
1988 – Charles Billington
1998 – John Rex Matthias
2010 - Sally Rogers
2018 - Gwenda Cooper
2023

Manylion y gwasanaethau

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