Church of Saints Eurgain and Peter, Northop

Tudor Rose logo with link to more information pagebutton_lang_frenchChurch of Saints Eurgain and Peter, Northop

northop_churchNorthop’s Welsh name is Llaneurgain, which denotes the “llan” (enclosure) of St Eurgain. She lived in the 6th century and was the original dedicatee of this church.

Records from the 13th century refer to a church building here which was extended in the 14th century. There was further enlargement in the 15th and 16th century, funded by the powerful Stanley family. They were Yorkists during the Wars of the Roses but Margaret Beaufort, mother of the Lancastrian Henry Tudor, married Thomas Stanley in 1472.

Carved in stone by the church’s west door are the heraldic badges of the Beauforts and Stanleys, along with the Tudor Rose – symbol of the Tudor dynasty.

northop_church_effigy

The imposing church tower has the inscribed date 1571, which could be when it was completed. The drawing of the church (courtesy of the National Library of Wales) was made in the 18th century for Thomas Pennant’s books on his travels in Wales.

Further changes were made when the church was renovated in Victorian times.

Inside you can see several medieval effigies. One depicts a woman who died in 1382 and is well preserved, complete with the lion at her feet. The drawing on the left (courtesy of The National Library of Wales) was made by John Ingleby in the late 18th century and shows an effigy of a knight discovered during excavations at Northop church in 1796.

South of the church is the grave of Owen Jones, who died in 1659. He was left as a baby at the foot of the church tower, tied to a bell rope. A poor couple called Jones adopted him, with support from parish funds. After being apprenticed to a Chester butcher, he prospered in the meat trade and bought many buildings and pieces of land in Northop (including Northop Hall). He died in 1659, a year after signing a will which stated that income from his Northop estate must be used to support orphaned children and widows’ families. This included funding education and apprenticeships. The Owen Jones Charity continues to give grants to schools, community groups and young people.

Postcode: CH7 6BP    View Location Map

Church website

More pictures of North-east Wales by John Ingleby – National Library of Wales website