Royal church in a royal township.
The village of Trefriw stands on the edge of Snowdonia, near the point where the Rivers Conwy and Crafnant meet. The beautiful Gwydir Forest stretches over the hillside above it.
Medieval Trefriw was an important place. Under the princes, Gwynedd was divided into a number of administrative units called commotes, at the heart of which was the royal township, or maerdref. Trefriw was maerdref for the commote of Nantconwy and was the site of a llys – or royal court. The town also hosted a market, mill and fishery on the River Conwy.
The commote’s inhabitants were ‘bond tenants’ who had to pay for the prince's provisions when he visited. In 1352 these included “three bulls, three cows and six crannocks of oats”. Trefriw remained prosperous long after the English conquest of Gwynedd in 1282 and we know a good deal about its economy from a survey of land rents and taxes in 1352.
The dedication of the church to the Virgin Mary is in keeping with other churches in royal maerdrefi. Llywelyn the Great is believed to have founded the church himself in the 1230s, for the convenience – so the legend goes – of his English wife, Joan. She had grown weary of the long, steep walk up to the Church of St Rhychwyn, and one can hardly blame her: it is a real hike. So Llywelyn had St Mary’s built in town. Little of the original 13th-century building survives, however. The church that you see today was rebuilt extensively in the 15th and 16th centuries, and much of the exterior dates from the 19th century.
Llywelyn and Joan still maintain a presence in St Mary’s. Inside is a stained glass window, made in the 1930s, which depicts the royal couple. He wears chain mail and a golden crown, and bears a sword and shield emblazoned with a rampant red dragon. She is also crowned, draped in a splendid gold dress and red cape, and holds a bunch of patriotic golden daffodils.
Rest and relax in this peaceful church before hiking in the hills above.
Free Entry
In centre of village of Trefriw.
2½ miles from Llanrwst railway station.
The no.19 Arriva bus (Llandudno to Betws y Coed) stops in Trefriw, a short distance from the church. Call Traveline on 0871 200 2233 or go online at http://www.traveline-cymru.info for the latest public transport information.
In centre of village of Trefriw.
In centre of village of Trefriw.
Easy access.
Grid Reference: NGR SH7807563222 Coordinates for Garmin satnav users: -3.824739, 53.152235 OS explorer map sheet: OL17.