---
title: "St Rhychwyn, Llanrhychwyn"
description: "Located in Llanrhychwyn, Gwynedd. Built South aisle probably 12th century, lengthened and re-roofed probably 14th century; north aisle early 16th century. Diocese of St Asaph. Grade I. Medieval twin-aisled upland church style."
category: "Church"
tags: ["Church","Church in Wales","Gwynedd","Llanrhychwyn","Grade I","Medieval","Cadw","Diocese of St Asaph"]
canonical: "https://thebritishgazette.com/post/st-rhychwyn-llanrhychwyn"
pubDate: "2026-09-06T02:09:20.109Z"
dateModified: "2026-09-07T20:33:41.044Z"
location: "Llanrhychwyn, Gwynedd"
country: "Wales"
county: "Gwynedd"
town: "Llanrhychwyn"
address: "Llanrhychwyn, Gwynedd, LL27 0YJ"
postcode: "LL27 0YJ"
built: "South aisle probably 12th century, lengthened and re-roofed probably 14th century; north aisle early 16th century"
denomination: "Church in Wales"
dedications: ["Rhychwyn"]
diocese: "St Asaph"
grade: "I"
style: "Medieval twin-aisled upland church"
materials: "Flush-rendered rubble (south aisle) and roughly dressed slatestone (north aisle); slate roofs"
website: "http://www.brogwydyr.cymru/"
openingHours: "Daylight hours."
parish: "Bro Gwydyr"
listEntryUrl: "https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=en&id=3211"
gridReference: "SH 774 616"
accessNotes: "Remote upland site south of Trefriw; better reached on foot. Steps to the church or churchyard. Limited parking."
---

# St Rhychwyn, Llanrhychwyn

St Rhychwyn is a Grade I Church in Wales church on an upland plateau about 1.2 km south of Trefriw, in the Ministry Area of Bro Gwydyr and the Diocese of St Asaph.

## Overview

Cadw lists an early religious site whose churchyard is encircled by ancient yews. Tradition holds that Llywelyn ap Iorwerth worshipped here before founding a more convenient church at Trefriw about 1230. The present building began as a single-cell chapel, probably of the twelfth century (the western part of the south aisle). It was lengthened and re-roofed, probably in the fourteenth century, and a northern aisle was added in the early sixteenth century, probably under Meredith ap Ieuan ap Robert of Gwydir (d.1525).

The twin-aisled church has a rubble bellcote on the north-aisle west gable, a deeply recessed round-arched south doorway with a seventeenth-century post-and-panel door, and fifteenth- and sixteenth-century east windows. Inside are slate-flagged floors, a four-bay arcade, mid-to-late fifteenth-century stained glass including a Trinity, an early sixteenth-century Crucifixion in the north-aisle east window, 1636 altar rails, and a plain early medieval font. Cadw lists it Grade I as an important and well-preserved medieval church.

## Further Information

- [Cadw listed building 3211](https://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=en&id=3211)
- [British Listed Buildings](https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/300003211-llanrhychwyn-church-trefriw)
- [Bro Gwydyr](http://www.brogwydyr.cymru/)