Open Doors 2006
European Heritage Days
Saturday and Sunday 9th and 10th September 2006
Properties Open to the Public in Conwy County Borough
European Heritage Days offer every-one the chance to discover
their heritage when buildings and sites of architectural, cultural
and historic interest will be open to the public, free of charge.
Betws-y-Coed
St. Michael’s Church
A Grade II* listed church built in the 14th Century and repaired and enlarged in 1843.
The church contains a number of interesting features including a lychgate, a 13th
Century font and a stone effigy of Gruffydd, grandson of Dafydd the brother of Llewelyn
ap Gruffydd, the last native Prince of Wales. The church has been recently restored.
There is a flower festival at the church from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th September.
Open: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Directions: Turn off A5 into Old Church Road. The church is near the Railway
Museum.
Caerhun
St. Mary’s Church
Located within the Roman fort of Canovium this medieval church is entered through a
stone lychgate or over a stone stile. It has a number of interesting features, in particular
an unusual double bell-cote. Underneath is a small panel with a crucifix carved on it.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: Sign-posted at Caerhun, B5106 Conwy to Betws-y-Coed road.
Capel Curig
St. Julitta’s Church
A 14th Century church, dedicated to Curig the Blessed and his mother Julitta. St.
Julitta’s is the smallest surviving church in Snowdonia and the only church in the area
not to have been extended at a later time. There is an temporary exhibition on
Mountaineering.
Open: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.
Directions: On A4086 Capel Curig to Llanberis road near Plas y Brenin. Limited
parking on site. Please use village car park.
Colwyn Bay
St. Andrew’s Church
A small church in Arts and Crafts style with wooden porch and stone exterior, containing
church furniture of excellent woodwork craftsmanship.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: Leave A55 expressway at Llandrillo yn Rhos junction. Turn south towards
the West End and turn left at the first junction off roundabout and first right into King’s
Road. The church is on the corner.
Colwyn Bay
St. David’s Church
Built as a Welsh church in 1902-3 from squared limestone rubble with red sandstone
dressings and a red plain tiled roof.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: Leave A55 expressway at Colwyn Bay junction. Turn south (away from
sea) and follow road through to Abergele Road. Turn right. St. Paul’s is 300 yards on
the left and St. David’s is behind on Rhiw Road opposite the Police Station.
Colwyn Bay
St. Paul’s Church
This Grade II listed church is a notable landmark in the centre of the town and an
excellent example of a late Victorian church architecture: rich in the craft and the quality
of its fittings.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: Leave A55 expressway at Colwyn Bay junction. Turn south (away from
sea) and follow road through to Abergele Road. Turn right. St. Paul’s is 300 yards on
the left.
Conwy
St. Mary & All Saints
Founded in the 12th Century as the abbey church of Aberconwy, this was the burial
place of many of the Princes of Gwynedd, including Llywelyn the Great. When Edward I
moved the abbey to Maenan, St. Mary’s was rebuilt to become the parish church for the
new English town. The most complete part of the abbey church to survive is the west
front. Note the 15th Century rood screen, once probably the finest in North Wales, the
medieval chancel stalls, the tombs of the Wynns of Plas Mawr and the tomb of the
survivor of the Battle of Trafalgar by the North Porch door.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday before and after services.
Directions: In Conwy town centre - entrances from Church Lane, High Street, Castle
Street and Rosehill Street.
Craig y Don
St. Paul’s Church
Opened for worship in 1895 as a memorial to the Duke of Clarence and designed by J.
Oldrid Scott, son of the eminent architect, Sir Gilbert Scott. A Grade II listed building.
Open: Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. and for services 9.45 a.m.
and 3.30 p.m.
Directions: Situated on Mostyn Broadway in Craig y Don near Venue Cymru (North
Wales Theatre).
Deganwy
All Saints’ Church
Grade II star listed building built in 1899. A fine example of the work of architect
Douglas Frost. Wonderful stained glass windows of various ages. Bells in regular use.
Open: Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday 2.00 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Directions: Turn off Station Road Deganwy into All Saints Avenue.
Gyffin
St. Benedict’s Church
A small church on an ancient site. The earliest part of the present building (the eastern
half of the nave) is 12th Century. There is a 15th Century painted canopy of honour over
the sanctuary, and the font in which Bishop Richard Davies, a 16 th Century translator of
the Bible into Welsh, was baptized. The building is Grade 1 listed.
Open: Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday before and after the service at 9.30 a.m.
Directions: At the road junctions by the Gyffin Village Shop take the minor Henryd
Road; the churchyard entrance is about 100 yards on right. There is free parking over
the bridge, opposite the Old Mill Chip Shop.
Above Henryd
Llangelynin Old Church
Llangelynin stands on high ground above the Conwy Valley and dates to the 12th
Century. Note the oldest bench dating from 1629; the 14th Century font and the base of
the old rood screen, which used to divide the chancel from the nave.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m and Sunday 2 - 4 p.m.
Directions: At Henryd follow signs from B5106.
Llanbedr y Cennin
St. Peter’s Church
St. Peter’s was established c.13th Century on the site of an earlier ‘cell’ built near 2
curative wells; Ffynnon Bedr and Llanbedr Well. Note the Edward Hughes memorial
window, the old chest under the E. window of the transept; the crucifix in the outside
west end and the single bell-cote. There is a temporary exhibition ‘Conwy Valley
Heritage.’
Open: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. There is a service at 10.30 on Sunday:
visitors welcome.
Directions: Off B5106 Conwy to Betws-y-Coed road. Turn at Bedol Inn, Talybont and
follow lane up to Bull Inn, Llanbedr y Cennin. The church is on the right hand corner.
Llandudno
Llandudno Museum
Through its varied collections, ranging from Roman tiles to 20th Century holiday
memorabilia, the museum depicts Llandudno’s long and fascinating history. There is a
temporary exhibition, Four Communities – Migration into Britain.
Open: Saturday 10.30 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Sunday from 2.15 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Directions: On Mostyn Street, heading towards the Great Orme, turn into Gloddaeth
Street. The museum is 200 metres along the road opposite the Grand Ash Hotel.
Llanfairfechan
Church Institute and Churchmans Club
This Grade II* listed building is an exceptional and unspoilt hall designed by Architect
Herbert Luck North in the Arts and Crafts style and dating from 1912. Alongside the
Church Institute, the Churchmans was built in 1927 by Herbert North mainly as a
snooker club. The unspoilt interior includes a tiny committee room.
Open: Church Institute - Sunday 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Churchmans Club - Saturday and Sunday 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: At crossroads at centre of Llanfairfechan turn uphill (i.e. left if heading for
Bangor). Fork left by garage onto Park Road. The Institute and Churchmans Club are
on the left hand side after this fork, opposite Plas Farm.
Llangernyw
Sir Henry Jones Museum
A fascinating museum depicting life in a typical Victorian Welsh rural community. There
is a temporary exhibition of work produced by the local community with artist Eleri
Jones.
Open: Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Directions: On A548 Abergele to Llanrwst road in the centre of Llangernyw. Follow the
sign from the car park.
Llanefydd
St. Mary’s & St. Nefydd
Delightful light and spacious double naved perpendicular church of c 1500. Large east
windows, oak archbraced roof, cyclopean doorway and blocked priest’s door. Carved
medieval slabs & memorials. Hanoverian coat of arms. 18th Century oak pilastered
pulpit tester. Restored 1909 and 1990. Burial place of Catherine of Berain, c1535 –
1591 relative of Elizabeth I and John Roberts, founder of the Harvest Festival tradition.
There will be a small exhibition on eminent people from the parish.
Open: Saturday 11 am - 4 p.m.
Llanrhos
St Hilary’s Church
A church was originally built on this site in the 6th Century by Maelgwn Gwynedd. The
present building was built by the monks of Maenan Abbey in the 13 th Century. In recent
times, the church has strong connections with the Mostyn family.
Open: Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. There are services at 11
a.m. and 6.30 p.m.
Directions: On B5115 Llanrhos/Deganwy Road signposted from the A470.
Llanrwst
Almshouses
Established in 1610 by Sir John Wynn of Gwydir, the Almshouses provided housing for
elderly members of the area until 1976. Restored with funding from the Heritage Lottery
Fund, they are now a community museum. There is a temporary exhibition, Landscape
Capriccios, the landscape of the mind, by the distinguished writer and art historian,
painter, printer and photographer Alistair Crawford.
Open: Saturday and Sunday 12 - 3.30 p.m.
Directions: In the centre of Llanrwst, off Ancaster Square, next to St. Grwst’s Church.
Penmaenmawr
4, New York Cottages
Built in the 1840s, these were amongst the first properties built in Penmaenmawr to
house quarry workers. The ground floor of No. 4 now houses a small museum on the
quarrying industry and the growth of Penmaenmawr in the 19th Century.
Open: Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: On Bangor Road approx. ½ mile from the centre of Penmaenmawr.
Rhos-on-Sea
St. George’s Church
Architect L.W. Bernard designed this Grade II listed building in a neo-perpendicular
style. It was consecrated in 1913 and contains interesting stained glass.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: From A55 take Rhos-on-Sea slip-road and follow signs to Rhos along
Brompton Avenue. At large roundabout, take 4th exit (for Promenade) into Whitehall
Road. Turn left into Allanson Road. Then right into Crossley Road.
Rhos-on-Sea
The Parish Church of Llandrillo-yn-Rhos
A Grade II* medieval church dating partly from the 12th Century. Whitewashed, it
provided a landmark for vessels at sea and the W. tower served as a beacon. Entering
the church through the 17th Century lychgate note the box-graves on the left. Inside is a
13th Century font and an early 14th Century sepulchral slab with the name ‘Ednyfed’.
Note also the grave of Officer Lowe, hero of the Titanic.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: On Llandudno Road at Rhos-on-Sea. There is a car park adjacent.
Rhos-on-Sea
St. Trillo’s Chapel
A small chapel of considerable antiquity built over a holy well, St. Trillo’s has provided a
place of worship for centuries.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: On the Promenade at Rhos-on-Sea opposite St. Michael’s Nursing Home.
Rowen
Zion Chapel
An early 19th Century square stone chapel with 3 aisles, sloping upwards to rear of
building. Listed Grade II and still in regular use.
Open: Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Directions: Zion Chapel is in the middle of Rowen Village, on the right hand side
eastwards after passing the Tŷ Gwyn Pub (50 yards or so). There is parking in front of
Rowen Memorial Hall signposted as you enter the village.
Trefriw
Church of St. Mary
A church was built here about 1230 by Llewelyn ap Iorwerth as a chapel of ease for his
wife, Joan. The church was entirely remodelled in the 15th, 16th and 19th Centuries and
no part of the original church now remains except possibly part of the wall of the south
aisle. Note the 17th Century altar, the 1633 pulpit and the memorial to Welsh poet and
hymn writer, Ieuan Glan Geirionnydd.
Open: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Above Trefriw
Llanrhychwyn Old Church
Supposedly the oldest surviving church in Wales, Llanrhychwyn is known as Llewelyn
the Great’s old church, used before he built Trefriw in 1230. The church has many
interesting features including a very old square font, and a very early example of stained
glass in the east window.
Open: Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: At Trefriw follow signs from B5106.
Llandudno
GloddaethHall/St. David’s College
A 16th century mansion of great architectural and historic interest which contains many
original furnishings and fine artwork. There will be guided tours every hour on the hour.
Open: Sunday only from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Directions: Take A470 to Llandudno. Follow signs for St. David’s College.
* For further information or details of access for the disabled please contact
Ann Williams on 01492 575571.
European Heritage Days are an initiative of the Council of Europe, supported by the European Union. In
Wales, European Heritage Days are organised by the Civic Trust for Wales on behalf of Cadw – Welsh
Historic Monuments.
Published by Conwy County Borough Council, Directorate of Lifelong Learning, Dinerth Road, Colwyn
Bay, LL28 4UL.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, Conwy County Borough Council can accept no liability
should any event be cancelled or postponed.