A small 1950s concrete portal-framed church built primarily to cater for summer visitors to this seaside village. The design is similar to the same architect’s slightly earlier church at Menai Bridge.

The first reference to Mass being said in Rhosneigr was in 1936 when the Rev. Richard O’Donovan OMI reports that Oblate Fathers would travel to the resort during the summer months from Holyhead to say Mass in the Pavilion cinema. This served as the local Mass centre for about twenty years.

In the mid-1950s plans were made to establish a chapel-of-ease, to be served from Holyhead. Appeals were made for the funds in the Universe which brought in some £1,500 but the majority of the £6,000 costs were met by donations from Ireland through the Cyfeillion Cymru ‘Friends of Wales’. A Catholic lady, Mrs Pety, donated the land for the church in memory of her parents. The church was built to the designs of Brian Hallwood Lingard, and bears similarities to his earlier church at Menai Bridge (qv). The builders were a local firm, Henry Jones and Co. Construction started in November 1956 and was completed the following year, with the first Mass held on 28 July. Bishop Petit of Menevia carried out the formal opening and consecration on 7 October 1957, the Feast of the Holy Rosary.

Description

The church is a simple portal-framed concrete structure, set on a stone plinth with sloping walls contrasting with the upright nave windows set under small gablets. The external finishes are a mixture of pebbledash, painted render, painted timber cladding, and rubble-coursed stone. The roof is shallow pitched with a felt covering. There is an entrance porch with angled west wall, said to have been a later addition but shown on early designs.

Inside, the porch has a small cross-shaped window with red lights and a large stained glass window of Mary Immaculate. The nave is of three bays and the sanctuary of one bay, with the sacristy behind. The floor coverings are quarry tiles in the porch, carpet and vinyl tiles in the nave and carpet in the sanctuary; the walls are plastered and painted. The sanctuary is up two steps and set beneath a segmental arch. Niches to the left and right contain wooden statues of Our Lady and the Holy Infant, and St Joseph. The original altar has been brought forward from the superaltar; there are carved and applied Α Ω details on the front. The original pulpit consists of an angled panel with vertical hardwood strips to the north of the sanctuary. The solid oak font is modern and portable, with a brass memorial on the base to Maria Patrizia Dipple. The Stations of the Cross are circular plaster panels set within octagonal hardwood frames. The benches are solid oak with carved and blue painted crosses on the ends.

Heritage Details