St Beuno's Church, Pistyll

St Beuno's Church is a Grade I listed building located north-east of the village of Pistyll, Gwynedd, Wales. The church is dedicated to Beuno, a 7th-century Welsh saint.

History

The village of Pistyll stands north-east of Nefyn just inland from the northern coast of the Llŷn Peninsula. The church stands to the north-east and is dedicated to Beuno, a 7th-century Welsh saint. The church dates back to the 12th century, but most of the present structure dates to later building campaigns, principally of the 15th century. The church was on the pilgrimage route to St Mary's Abbey on Bardsey Island. It maintains an ancient tradition of scattering the floor with "rushes and sweet-smelling herbs" at Christmas, Easter, and in August.
The church remains an active parish church in the Diocese of Bangor and occasional services are held.

Architecture and description

Richard Haslam, Julian Orbach, and Adam Voelcker, in their 2009 edition Gwynedd, in the Buildings of Wales series, note the church's setting, "on a shelf above the sea". The design is simple — a short, combined nave and chancel with a bellcote above. The building material is of the local rhyolite rubble, and the interior contains an important 11th century font. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales records the external decoration of the bowl; "Anglo-Scandinavian two strand chain interlace design". There is evidence of wall decoration in the form of biblical texts in Welsh and a painting of Saint Christopher, but these are very decayed. St Beuno's is a Grade I listed building.