St Cybi's Church
| St Cybi's Church | |
|---|---|
 The south face view of the church | |
  St Cybi's Church Location in Anglesey | |
| 53°18′42″N 4°37′58″W / 53.3118°N 4.6328°W | |
| OS grid reference | SH 366 728 |
| Location | Caer Gybi, Anglesey |
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Founded | 13th century |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Medieval |
St Cybi's Church is a medieval church near the Roman Caer Gybi in Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales. The church was Grade I listed in January 1968. The original church was constructed at Holyhead around 540 AD by St Cybi, a cousin of St David. The church was sacked by Viking invaders in the 10th century and damaged again in 1405 by Henry IV's invading force. The present church was built in the 13th century and stands near the Roman fort in Holyhead.
History[edit]
The original church on an early Christian monastic settlement was established at Holyhead around 540 AD by St Cybi, a cousin of St David. Cybi chose to build his monastery within the walls of a ruined Roman fort. In the 10th century the original church was sacked by Viking raiders. In 1405, it was damaged by Henry IV's troops, who invaded Anglesey from Ireland as part of Henry's efforts to put down Owain Glyndŵr's rebellion.[1]
The present church of St Cybi's was built in between the 13th to 16th centuries and stands near the walls of the Roman Caer Gybi. The chancel is one of the oldest parts of the church, dating to the 13th century. In 1897 a chapel designed by British architect Hamo Thornycroft was added to the south. Further renovations were undertaken in the 20th century. A sun dial with the inscription "Yr hoedl ar hyd ei haros a dderfydd yn nydd ac yn nos", which translates to "Life though long it stay will end in night and day", is located on the south transept. Ornamental figures are located throughout the church, both inside and out.[1][2]
At the beginning of 2024, St Cybi's Church has undergone controversial renovations funded by the Anglesey County Council and Holyhead Town Council, from it's a 2.2 million pound levelling up fund awarded to Holyhead town with the aim to modernise the place and better adapt international tourism.
The locals raised their concerns for reported plans for commercial additions which would theoretically rip St Cybi's Church of its historic heritage of planned items like a shop and kitchen, and proposed changes to the exterior including the removal of walls and railings and adding [Solar Panels]] to the roof
Furthermore, there has been reports that they've donated their Organ to another church and are replacing historic benches with plastic chairs.
Critics argue that these alteration have compromised the historical integrity of the church, which is a significant tourist attraction in the area.
As of 20th March, 2024 St Cybi's Church cannot be accessed via the public and no funerals, weddings or any other events take place. The opening date for St Cybi's Church is unknown although it is rumoured to be open for tourists in the [[Summer Of 2024]]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Holyhead, St Cybi church". Britain Express. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
- ^ "St Cybi's Church in Holyhead history". Holyhead Online. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
External links[edit]
Media related to St Cybi's Church, Holyhead at Wikimedia Commons
