CHRIST CHURCH CAERNARFON

Often referred to as Trinity Church, this fine church was built in 1862-4, originally without the tower and spire, which was added in 1886-8. Designed by Anthony Salvin (of London) with drawings by R Norman Shaw in 1856. Salvin had also been engaged in Caernarfon on works to the Castle. The original vision for a grand church for the English speaking residents of Caernarfon was that of the Rev. Canon Thomas Thomas. Both he and his successor as vicar, the Rev. J. C. Vincent worked energetically and successfully to raise the necessary funds (£9,000) from local subscription. The foundation stone was laid by G. W. D. Assheton Smith of Vaynol on 8th May 1862. The tower and spire were added through the efforts of the Rev. Wynne Jones.

Throughout its life the building has stood in a prominent position, originally between the old railway station and the main approach to the old town, and now on the main roundabout on the Northern approach road. Its tall spire is immediately recognised by anyone entering Caernarfon from the North, and even after recent road alterations, it is seen from a considerable distance. The site is now surrounded by car parks on two sides, and the main North Road, and roundabout with access to Balaclava Road.

It is in the Early Decorated style, with rubble facings, freestone dressings of local Penmaenmawr sandstone, (with some Bath and Ruabon stone found inside), slate roofs. In plan the aisled nave is in 6 wide bays, with clerestory. There is a formal central South Porch, and the chancel is flanked by the South East tower and broach spire (140 feet), and the main organ chamber on the North.

The spire core is constructed in brick with stone facing, decorated with lucarnes and ornamental banding, angle buttresses with set-offs and a polygonal stair tower to the South West of the tower. There is a pateral cornice over paired traceried bell openings, and blind archading to the middle storey, with a projecting gabled doorway at the base.

The body of the church has a steep slated roof with Celtic cross finials, and carved kneelers, angle buttresses, cill bands and plinth course. The East and West gable windows have five lights with geometric tracery, single traceried lights with linked hoodmoulds to the chancel side, triple lights in echelon to the nave aisles, and a central West door under the raised West window. The large East window of 1871 by Hartley, was erected to the memory of the Rev James Crawley Vincent M.A. Vicar of Caernarfon, by the parishioners and friends following his achievements in preventing the spread of a cholera out break in the town. It was his efforts in providing a new water supply and fountain that saved the loss of many lives. The Baptistery window is a memorial to Mrs Hunt of Glangwna, a large residence and park near Caeathro South East of the town.

The interior has tall moulded chancel arch with triple attached shafts, round columns and moulded capitals to the nave arches, cusped roundels to punched spandrels, paired clerestory windows per bay with alternating wall shafts and corbels supporting arched brace roofs.

The nave is remarkable for its length and width, and careful lighting. The nave and chancel are in total 132 feet long. The church could seat 1000 people. There is a particularly wide chancel arch, and the church has excellent acoustics for the spoken word and both choral and organ music. The large J. W. Walker organ is placed to the North of the chancel with a wide flat opening into the chancel, and an arched opening into the North nave aisle. It was said to be the most powerful in the diocese after the William Hill organ in the Cathedral. Originally built in 1877, it was reconstructed in 1928, and provided with tubular pneumatic action. An unusual floating division was placed upon a raised stone corbel on the South side of the chancel.

Other fittings include ten cast tubular bells operated by hammers connected with ropes to a wooden frame situated on the first floor of the tower. The bells were first “played” on 27th May 1894. The chancel screen is made by the Brunswick Iron Works, a local blacksmith business which is still in operation in St Helen’s Road, Caernarfon.

After closure, the church was used by the Diocese as a store for redundant artefacts. Items known to be in the church include a decorated oak alter table, several fonts, and decorated covers, and most importantly an 18th Cent chamber organ once owned by the Marquis of Anglesey, which was sold by Christies in 1905. It was later removed for the gallery of St Mary’s, the Garrison church within the walls of the old town, ‘for safe keeping’. The organ is remarkable in having a very ornate classical mahogany case, with one manual of 62 notes, GGG to a”, and 7 speaking stops with shifting movements.

                                   Open Diapason 8Ft. metal
                                   Stopped Diapason 8Ft. wood
                                   Flute 4Ft. wood
                                   Principal 4Ft. metal
                                   Twelfth 2 2/3Ft. metal
                                   Fifteenth 2Ft. metal
                                   Sesquialtera III 3 ranks metal

The organ was in the house called “Beau Desert” Staffordshire, owned by Lord Anglesey and Lord Paget. This partly mediaeval house was demolished in 1932, leaving only the lodge. The organ was one of many antiques from Beau Desert sold at Christies in 1905 for £430-10s-0d.

The instrument is now largely destroyed by vandals and scavengers. The main parts of the Chippendale case remain, though covered with pigeon guano. The sides, front and impost of the case are intact, as is the fine decorated cornice. The chest, sliders, upper boards, pipe racks and shifting movements remain. All the metal pipes have disappeared, as also the keyboard and internal mechanisms. It would be possible to restore the organ, using the original chest, with new pipes made from the information in the surviving upperboards and pipe racks.

This must be a substantial loss from the finest period of English organ building history. Very few instruments survive from the later 18th C in playable condition or in anything like their original form. The compass, specification, design and craftsmanship of this organ shows that it was of exceptional quality. The workmanship of the case is that of a chamber organ designed for a prestige position in a grand house.

George Pike England had a workshop from 1794 in Rathbone Place, and he died in 1816. His business was continued by his wife Ann England and his son-in-law. He built many fine organs, few of which now survive in their original form. The chamber organ built for the Marquis, is remarkable for the quality of its decoration and workmanship.

However, it is also thought that this instrument could be made by the even more important English organ builder George Pyke, as is suggested by the sale records. If this is so then it is the only surviving artefact by this famous organ builder other than a barrel organ movement. A thorough examination of the surviving material is needed to verify this suggestion.

References:

The Story of Christ Church, Caernarfon. G. O. Jones
RCAHM (Wales).
Records of the Caernarfon Civic Society.
The listed building schedule by Cadw, Record number 4138.
‘The Organ’ by Cecil Clutton.
The Story of the Cholera outbreak in Caernarfon.

Canolfan Caernarfon Cyf. is registered as a charity number 1008039,
and as a company number 2667354.

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