Heritage of Wales

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Recent Photography

The National Monuments Record of Wales holds many photographs and each year the Royal Commission’s specialist photographer, Iain Wright, adds to the collection.

Sites are photographed in response to requests from colleagues in RCAHMW or project partners. The subjects photographed differ widely, from landscape views of earthworks to interior shots of architectural decoration and details. The variety of subjects requires a range of photographic techniques and equipment, which have been developed and refined with experience.

In these pages we are pleased to show you a selection of sites photographed in the last few years.

Digital copies of any of these photographs may be ordered through the Library and Enquiries Service, quoting the NPRN and the image reference number given in the image caption. If you would like to know whether the archive holds photographs of a building or site you are interested in, search Coflein (for sites with digital images) or contact the Enquiries Service staff, who can check the record for earlier non-digital photographic transparencies and prints, which can now be digitally reproduced for you.

Religious buildings in Wales

The Chapels Architecture Project

This ambitious project, which aims to make a record of every nonconformist chapel in Wales is coming to an end. Particular chapels which are representative of a style of architecture or hold a significant place in the history of chapel architecture are being photographed.

  • Bethania Welsh Baptist Chapel. The front façade, from the northeast. (Image: DS2006_118_002/ NPRN: 13780)
  • Bethania Welsh Baptist Chapel. The ground floor, oblique view of interior looking southwest. (Image:DS2006_118_007/ NPRN: 13780)
  • Bethania Welsh Baptist Chapel. Oblique interior view looking southwest from gallery. (Image: DS2006_118_012 /NPRN: 13780)

Bethania Welsh Baptist Chapel, Maesteg (NPRN: 13780), was originally built in 1832 by Mr Hurley of the same town. In 1908 a new chapel was built on the same site to the designs of William Beddoe Rees in the Classical Beaux Arts style, and this building is still in use as a chapel.

  • Rehoboth Chapel, Corwen. The main façade.(Image:DS2006_122_ 002 NPRN: 8353)
  • Rehoboth Chapel, Corwen. Oblique view of interior from north. (Image ref:DS2006_122_004 / NPRN: 8353)
  • Rehoboth Chapel, Corwen. Close up of the pulpit. (Image ref: DS2006_122_008 /NPRN: 8353 )

Rehoboth Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Corwen (NPRN: 8353), was rebuilt in the Gothic style in 1879 to the design of Richard Davies of Bangor. It is constructed in greystone from Mynydd y Berwyn, with dressings of limestone from the Denbigh area.

  • Castle Square Presbyterian Church, Caernarfon Interior from gallery. (Image ref: DS2006_182_005/ NPRN: 6869 )
  • Castle Square Presbyterian Church, Caernarfon. The foyer (Image ref: DS2006_182_018/ NPRN: 6869)
  • Castle Square Presbyterian Church, Caernarfon Matched board ceiling.(Image ref:DS2006_182_019/NPRN: 6869)

Castle Square English Presbyterian Church, Caernarfon (NPRN: 6869), was built in 1882 to the design of Richard Owen of Liverpool. The chapel is in the Gothic style, built from coursed, rock-faced, yellow sandstone, with a slate roof behind coped gables.

  • Capel Newydd, Nanhoron Interior looking west.(Image ref: DS2007_227_001/NPRN:6974 )
  • Capel Newydd, Nanhoron Exterior from the north-west.(Image ref: DS2007_227_002/NPRN:6974 )

Welsh Independent Capel Newydd, Nanhoron, Gwinllan (NPRN: 6974), was first built in 1770 and is probably the earliest surviving nonconformist chapel, with an early interior, in north Wales. It is earth-floored with box pews in a long, barn-like space. The chapel is built of rubble stone and has a steep roof of small slates.

  • Tabernacl Chapel Interior from gallery looking southwest.(Image ref: DS2008_192 _001 /NPRN: 6429 )
  • Tabernacl Chapel Interior from below gallery north.(Image ref: DS2008_192 _004 /NPRN: 6429 )
  • Tabernacl Chapel detail of stained glass below gallery. (Image ref: DS2008_192 _008 /NPRN: 6429 )

Tabernacl Independent Chapel, Coleshill Terrace, Llanelli (NPRN: 6429), was built in 1872-3 by John Humphrey of Morriston and is the most elaborate chapel in Llanelli. It is built of brown snecked rubble stone, with extensive Bath stone dressings. Inside, the four-sided gallery with curved angles is mounted upon cast-iron columns.

Cathedrals and churches

Cathedrals and churches are underrepresented in the colour photographic record of the National Monuments Record of Wales, so the request to provide high-quality images for the Pevsner series of publications has provided an opportunity to upgrade the record of many Welsh churches and provide more digital images for Coflein.

Recording in ancient buildings provides our photographer with particular problems of safe access and lighting to solve. The process of recording in the roof space of St David's Cathedral can be seen in the second Hidden Histories television series, which was filmed in the summer of 2009.

  • St David's Cathedral nave roof, boarded panels showing carpenter's marks (Image ref: DS2007_101_014 / NPRN: 306)
  • St Deiniol’s Cathedral, Bangor, the interior, looking up the nave towards the altar. (Image ref: DS2007_394_001 / NPRN: 43727)
  • St David's Church, Newtown, View from west.(Image ref: DS2006_188_ 001 NPRN: 96660)

St David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire (NPRN: 306), is the most important medieval ecclesiastical building in Wales and stands at the centre of a complex of medieval and later buildings. The present cathedral building mostly dates from the late-twelfth and early-thirteenth centuries and the nave has an important pendant ceiling which was constructed in the early to mid-sixteenth century, although the ceiling boards are earlier and have been reused here.The dating of the nave roof was established through the RCAHMW's dendrochronology programme.

St Deiniol’s Cathedral, Bangor (NPRN: 43727), is the oldest cathedral foundation in Britain, said to have been established in the sixth century by St Deniol (d.584). The present building dates back to the twelfth century but it has been considerably altered and rebuilt over a long period of time.

St David’s Church (St Mary’s New Church), Newtown (NPRN: 96660), is an important Anglican church, designed by Thomas Penson, which incorporates some fittings from the old parish church of St Mary’s. A new parclose screen, which incorporates the medieval rood screen from St Mary’s, was designed by Herbert L. North and installed in 1938. The church was photographed before closure as part of the RCAHMW's emergency recording programme.

  • St Cadfan's Church, Tywyn, interior looking east southeast.(Image ref: DS2007_206_ 001 / NPRN: 43861 )
  • St Celynin's Church, Llangelynin Interior looking east.(Image ref: DS2007_213_005 /NPRN: 43864)
  • Saint Mary's and Saint Egryn’s Church, Llanegryn Interior, the screen looking west.(Image ref: DS2007_209 _001/NPRN: 43890)

St Cadfan’s Church, Tywyn (NPRN: 43861), is a large cruciform church thought to date from the twelfth century. It was a monastic or mother church and a medieval poet described it as a fine whitened church where relics were kept and miracles performed.

St Celynin's Church, Llangelynin (NPRN: 43864), retains much of its medieval character. The interior has a near complete set of benches that record the names and addresses of their occupants, showing the hierarchy from the vicar and gentry to the servants' benches.

St Mary's Church, Llanegryn (NPRN:43890), a parish church recorded in 1254, has been the subject of modern restoration, but it retains many internal medieval features and fittings.

  • St Philip's Church, Caerdeon Exterior from the southeast. (Image ref:DS2007_212_ 001 / NPRN: 43899)
  • St Mary's Church, Llanaber Interior looking east. Vertical. (Image ref: DS2007_215_004 / NPRN: 43859)
  • St John's Church, Barmouth Exterior from the northwest. (Image ref: DS2007_214_001 / NPRN: 43878)

St Philip’s Church Caerdeon (NPRN: 43899), is a medieval church near Barmouth in Merioneth, which was originally built as a private chapel. It has an open bell-cote containing four bells rung by a windlass system, which is possibly unique in Wales. (Source: www.Churchinwales.org)

SS Mary and Bodvan’s Church, Llanaber (NPRN: 43859), is an early thirteenth century church that was modernised in the mid-nineteenth century and again in the late twentieth century. The style of the masonry has been compared with Castell-y-Bere and both church and castle may have been commissioned by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth. The nave has an elaborate and dramatic south door.

St John's Church, Barmouth (NPRN: 43878), is a Victorian gothic church in the perpendicular style built in 1889 by Douglas E. Fordham. The tower was rebuilt in 1894. The font is a copy of Thorwaldsen’s font in Copenhagen Cathedral.

Castles

Wales is famous for its fantastic castles, which are well represented within the National Monuments Record. However, when an opportunity arises to revisit a castle, our photographer tries to add modern colour images to the collections. Recently he has photographed Powis and Criccieth castles.

  • Powis Castle The Long Gallery. (Imgae ref: DS2007_006_002 / NPRN: 29858)
  • Powis Castle, The Long Gallery fireplace with overmantle. (Image ref: DS2007_006_005 / NPRN: 29858)
  • Criccieth Castle, viewed from the north (Image ref: DS2007_271_003 / NPRN: 95281)

Powis Castle (NPRN: 29858), has been in continuous existence as a dwelling for over 700 years and has developed and grown substantially over time. Important features of the thirteenth century castle still remain, including the outer and inner bailey and the gatehouse. Sir Edward Herbert bought the castle in 1587 and he was responsible for adding the Long Gallery shortly after.This is one of the most attractive galleries of its type to survive. The wide floorboards are of elm and the ornate plasterwork dates from 1592-3. The carving and plasterwork over the fireplace display Sir Edward's eighteen quarterings and representations of the Fall and Expulsion from Eden.

Criccieth Castle (NPRN: 95281) is situated on a rocky promontory in the north-eastern corner of Cardigan Bay. Like many of the castles in Wales, control of the castle changed hands between the Welsh and the English several times during the Middle Ages. The present castle was begun by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth around 1230. During the latter half of the thirteenth century Edward I granted a charter establishing a free English borough in Criccieth and extensive building work was undertaken at the castle. Dominating the standing remains of the castle, which were largely destroyed at the beginning of the fifteenth century, are the two impressive D-shaped towers of the gateway leading to the inner ward.

Bridges

Whilst travelling between sites, the Commission photogrpher sometimes has an opportunity to photograph other Welsh landmarks, such as these elegant bridges. The National Monuments Record of Wales contains records of many built structures that may not immediately spring to mind when thinking of sites of historical or architectural significance.

  • Llanrwst Bridge viewed from the north east (Image Ref: DS2007_336_001 / NPRN: 24053)
  • Menai Bridge, viewed from the west northwest (Image ref: DS2007_412_001 / NPRN: 43063)
  • Llanelltyd Bridge, an oblique view from the north west (Image ref: DS2008_004_004 / NPRN: 95424)

The design of Llanrwst Bridge (NPRN: 24053), has traditionally been attributed to Inigo Jones and may draw on Palladio's design for a three-arched bridge. This bridge is built of local gritstone and slate rubble and has three segmental arches. The south parapet has a relief of the Stuart arms and the north a relief of the Prince of Wales feathers springing from a crown.

The Menai Suspension Bridge (NPRN: 43063) was built to carry the main London to Holyhead road over the Menai Straits. Designed by Thomas Telford, it was completed in 1826. The road deck is suspended from the two tapered limestone faced masonry towers some 30 metres above the water level.

Llanelltyd Bridge (NPRN: 95424) carried the former A470 trunk road across the Afon Mawddach. It is thought that this bridge was built during the first half of the eighteenth century, although references to an earlier bridge exist. A new concrete bridge to carry the volume of modern traffic was built in the 1980s and Llanelltyd Bridge is now used as a footbridge across the river.

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