Eglwys y Santes Edwen, Llanedwen
Pwt o hanes
O gyrraedd man a enwir yn lleol yn ‘Ffingar’, sy’n sefyll ar groesffordd rhyw hanner milltir i lawr yr A4080 o Blas Newydd ac i gyfeiriad Brynsiencyn, trowch i’r chwith i gyfeiriad Plas Coch a Moel-y-Don lle bu brwydr enwog a gwaedlyd rhwng gwŷr Brenin Edward I a rhai Tywysog Cymru, Llywelyn ein Llyw Olaf, yn 1282.
Su ceir o gyfeiriad y lôn bost, yn hytrach nag unrhyw ymladd ffyrnig, yw’r unig beth all darfu ar eich heddwch bellach wrth ichi ddilyn y ffordd ond buan iawn y gadewch hynny ar eich ôl a chyn bo hir daw adeilad gosgeiddig Eglwys y Santes Edwen i’r golwg ar eich chwith. Saif mewn lleoliad trawiadol ar lan y Fenai gan edrych allan ar Y Felinheli a mynyddoedd Eryri ar y tir mawr.
Sefydlwyd yr addoldy cyntaf ar y safle yma gan Santes Edwen yn 640 ond codwyd yr adeilad presennol yn 1856 a’i gynllunio gan Henry Kennedy, pensaer Esgobaeth Bangor ar y pryd. Saif ar dir sy’n rhan o stad Plas Newydd, cartref teulu Ardalydd Môn ers 1812 ac sydd bellach yn eiddo i’r Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol.
Mae’r eglwys yn adeilad rhestredig Gradd II ac ymhlith sawl elfen hynod amdani yw’r ffaith ei bod yn un o’r ychydig eglwysi yng Nghymru sy’n dal i gael ei goleuo’n gyfan gwbl gan ganhwyllau.
Church of St. Edwen, Llanedwen
A short history
After arriving at a crossroads known locally as ‘Ffingar’ (Finger – a strip of land), about half a mile down the A4080 from Plas Newydd towards Brynsiencyn, turn left towards Plas Coch and Moel-y-Don where a famous and fierce battle took place in 1282 beteween Edward I’s men and those of Llywelyn ein Llyw Olaf, Prince of Wales.
No roars of battle these days, and the only sound to disturb the peace here now is that of the main road’s steady stream of traffic. As you travel onwards along the lane, even this gradually dies down and in no time at all St. Edwen’s Church will come into view on your left, located in a spectacular location on the banks of Afon Menai and looking out towards Y Felinheli and the mountains of Eryri on the mainland.
The first church established here was in 640 by Santes Edwen but the present structure was built in 1856 and designed by Henry Kennedy, Bangor Diocese’s architect at the time. It stands on land belonging to the Plas Newydd estate, home to the family of the Marquess of Anglesey since 1812 and is now owned by the National Trust.
The church is a Grade II listed building and one of its many interesting features is the fact it is one of the few churches in regular use in Wales that is lit entirely by candles.