_zz_07.jpg)
All Saints' Church (Welsh:Eglwys yr Holl Saint) stands in the formercoal mining village ofGresford inWrexham County Borough, Wales. It is a large, mainly late 15th-century church in a slightly redsandstone, in many ways more typical of nearbyCheshire churches.[1] It has been described as the finest parish church in Wales, and has the most surviving medieval stained glass of any Welsh church.[2]
The bells of theparish church of All Saints are one of the traditionalSeven Wonders of Wales. Not only are the peal of bells of note, listed it is said for the purity of their tone, but the church itself is remarkable for its size, beauty, interiorchurch monuments, and itschurchyardyew trees. The bells are commemorated in an anonymous rhyme:
The church was designated as a Grade Ilisted building on 7 June 1963, as "an exceptional example of a late-medieval church with fine medieval glass and furnishings".[3]
_xx_22.jpg)
Though a church was built in the late 13th century by the Welsh patron Trahaearn ap Ithel ap Eunydd (and his five brothers), this was possibly not the first building on the site. TheDomesday Book of 1086 records a church at "Gretford in Extan hundred", but this might be elsewhere around the village.[1] The present building was very largely constructed at the end of the 15th century. The church is remarkably large and well-fitted out for what was a small settlement, suggesting (as do some documentary hints) that there was a profitable place ofpilgrimage there, though no evidence for what the attraction was remains - probably arelic or statue, perhaps of theVirgin Mary[3] The medieval parish was very large, over 30 square miles.[1]
Robert Parfew, theBishop of Saint Asaph, wrote toThomas Cromwell when he wasHenry VIII's chief minister, requesting that he be allowed to move his seat to Gresford, as "the Church of the said parish was strongly and beautifully made erect and builded, as also all manner of ornaments and other necessaries requisite for the replenishing and furniture of the same were brought and provided and the inhabitants of the ...parish ... were not a little aided and succoured towards the better sustentation of the living", perhaps referring to the pilgrimage receipts.[4]
The church has much fine late medievalstained glass of around 1500,[3] now collected at the east end, except for small figures in the top of the tracery of some aisle windows. Some glass has been claimed to have come from thedissolved abbey atBasingwerk on the banks of theRiver Dee below Holywell. The church was also richly endowed byThomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby, whose intervention at theBattle of Bosworth helped the Welsh-bornHenry Tudor overcomeRichard III in his successful quest for the throne of England. He paid for the large central east window, which survives almost complete; this reflects the dedication of the church with a host of figures of saints. A window with theLife of the Virgin in several scenes in the Lady Chapel is largely intact.[1]
There are very fine memorials, mostly for the local Trevalyn Hall branch of the powerful North Welsh Trevor (Trefor) family.[5] Analabastereffigy of Sion Trefor (d. 1589) reclines within a classical framework, a long tablet inscribed in Welsh appearing to hide the middle of his body. His daughter-in-law, "Dame Katherine Trevor" is represented twice, once painted and half life-size, kneeling next to her husband Sir Richard Trefor (d. 1638), and also kneeling with daughters in a smallerrelief.
The twelvemisericords date from the late 15th or early 16th century. Some of these are very evocative, such as "A Devil, erect, driven by a man or woman in long kilted garment, facing left, and, pushing two women on a sledge or barrow into thejaws of Hell. Left Supporter an ape with a urine flask. Right Supporter a fox with a bucket of excrement".
The earliest record of the peal of Gresford bells dates back only to 1714. An apparatus was installed in the belfry in 1877 so that all eight bells could be chimed by one person. The bells are rung regularly for church services, and the old custom of ringing on 5 November is still continued, though it is unclear whether this is to commemorate the successful landing ofWilliam of Orange in 1688, or theGunpowder Plot ofGuy Fawkes to blow up Parliament in 1605. DuringWorld War II, the custom of tolling the passing bell was discontinued, as the bells were to be rung only as an invasion warning. There have been modern replacements for some.
_z41.jpg)
Inside the impressive church, one of the most remarkable finds was discovered in 1907 by workmen, the Gresford Stone. This is aRoman period altar that was hidden for centuries, being used as a stone block in the rebuilding of the medieval church. The altar has four carved sides and a decorative depression at the top, used for the placement of offerings to the goddessNemesis depicted on one side. The altar was probably part of aRomano British shrine dating back to 100 to 350 AD.
The church is surrounded by a grove of yews, some of which are equal in size and age to those ofOverton listed in theSeven Wonders of Wales. Twenty-five of these were planted in 1726, but one growing near the south gate is older. It was already an ancient tree at the time ofRichard II's proclamation that ordered the general planting of yews to support the army and the use of yew in theLongbow.
The churchyard also contains the war graves of six Commonwealth service personnel ofWorld War I.[6]
53°05′17″N2°58′38″W / 53.088°N 2.9773°W /53.088; -2.9773
