| DIRECTIONS > [ Map of St Cadwaladr's Church Llangadwaladr location ] |
Exit the A55 at junction 6 , take the A5 north to junction with B4422. Bear left and continue to A4080. Continue south west on the A4080 through Hebron for 1 mile to Llangadwaladr. Church on right before crossroads.
The magnificent east window in the chancel contains the only medieval glass to survive in quantity on Anglesey. The late fifteenth century stained glass window is unusual in that its depiction of the Crucifixion shows a translucent Christ painted to show the bones. Christ is accompanied by four angels and, on the left, by the Saints Mary and John. These are above a panel with the donors of the window, Meuric ap Llywelyn of Bodowen and his wife Marged. On the right, their son Owain ap Meuric and his wife Elen Meredith of Glynllifon are in a scene of battle. The window was the gift of Meuric ap Llywelyn and his wife in thanks-giving for their son Owain’s safe return from the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
The Bodowen Chapel in the south-east corner of Llangadwaladr Church, added in 1659–61, is a combination of classical and Gothic styles. The southern façade has a projecting central gable with diagonal buttressing. The south and east windows are Perpendicular, with two tiers of trefoiled lights. There is a fine monument to the founders of the chapel, the Royalist Colonel Hugh Owen and his wife Ann Williams of Llys Dulas.
Externally the church offers fine examples of 19th century stone carving with
a number of gargoyles built into the east and north walls. It is such a shame
that inappropriate work has been undertaken, redirecting the water via modern
gutter boxes.
But Saint Cadwaladr's is most renowned as the home to the Cadfan Stone, sometimes
known as the Catamanus stone. Found close to the site the 7th Century inscribed
stone, built into the north wall of the nave opposite the porch, commemorates King Cadfan
of Gwynedd, Cadwaladr’s grandfather. It is the most important gravestone in Anglesey
and it demonstrates that the site was the burial ground associated with the royal
court at Aberffraw some mile or so to the north.
| 1.St Cadwaladr's Church Llangadwaladr | 2. Cadfan stone St Cadwaladr's Church Llangadwaladr |
| 3.The late Gothic Bodowen south chapel, St Cadwaladr's Church Llangadwaladr | 4. West Gable St Cadwaladr's Church Llangadwaladr. |
| 5.Triple bellcote with two bells, St Cadwaladr's Church Llangadwaladr | 6.East wall, St Cadwaladr's Church |
| 7. Gargoyle at St Cadwaladr's Church Llangadwaladr | 8.Gargoyle on east wall, St Cadwaladr's Church Llangadwaladr |
| 9.Gargoyle on east wall, St Cadwaladr's Church | 10.Gargoyle on north wall Llangadwaladr Church |
| 11.Stone carving or headstop, male, St Cadwaladr's Church | 12.Stone carving or headstop, female, Llangadwaladr Church |