Built as a Methodist chapel in the early twentieth century, the building has an attractive Gothic frontage with Art Nouveau touches. It became a Catholic church in 1964. The exterior retains its original nonconformist character, but the inside has been given a more Catholic flavour by the introduction of late nineteenth century sanctuary fittings and stained glass brought from Pantasaph.

The church was built in 1911 as the Trinity English Wesleyan Chapel but became a Catholic church in 1964. At that time several furnishings were brought here from Pantasaph. The church was initially served from Connah’s Quay but later became a separate parish with its own resident priest, and in 1969 a proposal was developed by Weightman & Bullen for a hall and presbytery alongside the church. This was never carried out, but a presbytery was built shortly afterwards. This this is no longer used by the parish, and the church has in recent years been served once again from Connah’s Quay. At the time of writing it had been earmarked for closure.

Description

The church has a nave with two aisles, a shallow sanctuary, a sacristy and west porch. It is symmetrical on plan and is built of brick – a rich red Ruabon brick for the west front, and a stock brick for the more plainly treated other elevations. Stone dressings to doors, windows, copings and buttresses are painted cream. The style is Gothic with a hint of Art Nouveau in the west window tracery, the buttress caps and the west gable. The roofs are of Welsh slate, a high double pitch for the nave, with a slender fleche at ridge level, and lower lean-to roofs for the aisles, with a plain glazed clerestory between.

The interior, which is brightly lit by the clerestory windows, was suitably plain in character when used as a nonconformist chapel. The adaptation to a Catholic church involved the installation of a mighty High Victorian Gothic altar, a brass tabernacle, fragments of an ambo and fine stained glass windows, all brought from Pantasaph. The subjects of the stained glass – mostly saints and biblical scenes – together with their donors are recorded on a brass plaque on the west wall. The copper pendant lamps survive from the original interior fit out.

Heritage Details