St Marcella's Church, Llanfarchell, was first mentioned in the C13th, but the present building dates from a circa 1500 remodelling in perpendicular style with later restorations in the C19th and C20th.

This church is constructed of limestone rubble with local sandstone dressings and medium pitched slate roof. It is of double nave design, typical of the Vale of Clwyd, and has a square west tower, and porch retaining surviving fragments of C15th/C16th stained glass in the window. There is an exceptionally fine C15th/C16th 10-bay hammerbeam roof to both chambers.

A perpendicular-style oak screen separates the nave from the chancel, and includes a number of tracery heads from an earlier Tudor rood screen. The church also houses a number of significant C16th-C18th monuments including the tomb of Sir John Salusbury of Lleweni, which was erected in 1588. The wall paintings include recoloured roof carvings and, in the north aisle, a 1720 table of benefactions in oils on boards, with very fine lettering.

Sources include:
Cadw listed buildings database
RCAHMW Wallpaintings database. 2004.09.10/RCAHMW/SLE/ AJP'73
Richard Suggett, Painted Temples: Wallpaintings and Rood-screens in Welsh Churches, 1200–1800, (RCAHMW 2021), pp. 35, 87.

RCAHMW 2022

Site Record

St Marcella's Church, Llanfarchell; Llanfarchell Church, Denbigh