Christ Church Llandinorwig (Deiniolen)

About the church

Set above the village of Deiniolen, the spire of this church rises dramatically against the slopes of Elidir Fawr. On a clear day, views can reach as far as Ireland. Beyond the church, the road continues up to Dinorwig Quarry. The churchyard holds many graves mentioning ‘Ebeneser’ – the old name for the village – as well as Huw Robert Jones one of the founding members of Plaid Cymru who successfully campaigned for the village to become known as ‘Deiniolen’. There are also a number of war graves.

Visiting the church

The church is open for visitors on Saturday afternoons over the summer and at other times by arrangement.

Services are at 3pm every Sunday and are usually in Welsh but we are happy to use enough English to make visitors feel welcome! We have Hwyrol Weddi (Evening Prayer) on the 1st and 3rd Sundays and Communion on the 2nd and 4th Sundays. There is also a time of prayer on Tuesdays at 9.30am.

A bit of history

Consecrated in 1857, the church is an exuberant example of Victorian ‘Decorated’ style. The architect, Henry Kennedy, often worked on a more modest scale, as seen in many other churches across the diocese. Here, perhaps due to generous funding by Dinorwig Quarry owner Thomas Assheton Smith, there are gargoyles inside and out, a chancel festooned with angels and that soaring spire. The church holds an unusual slate font originally from St Mair’s Church Dinorwig (closed in the 1980s) and a memorial for three adults and nine children who drowned on a Sunday School outing to Pwllheli in 1899 (all buried in the churchyard).