St Mary and all Saints Church Conwy. Conwy Parish Church founded in honour of the blessed Virgin Mary an all saints was originally the Cistercian Abbey of Aberconwy whose foundations were laid out in 1172 AD and the abbey completed in 1186 AD.
Aberconwy abbey was a depository for Welsh national records and public acts and was renowned for its library. It was used by the native Welsh Princes and buried there were Gruffyd ap Cynan, Lllewelyn ap Maelgwyn and Llywelyn Fawr and his sons Dafydd and Gruffydd.
Llywelyn Fawr's body, buried in 1240 AD was later removed to Maenan and then to Llanwrst Church, where the coffin can still be seen. In 1245 an English army stationed at Deganwy, under Henry III, plundered the abbey, removing it's chalices and books and burning the buildings belonging to it.
In 1283 Edward I removed the Abbey to Maenan- a few miles up the valley and St Mary's became a Parish church. The East and West buttresses and parts of the walls ntably on the North side, survive from the original twelfth century Abbey church. The lower stages of the tower, the south transept and the porches were erected in the fourteenth century when the room north of the tower was enclosed as a charnel house. In the fifteenth century the tower was completed. The aisle roofs were raised in the sixteenth century and the nave roof in 1872.
The Parish Registers date back to 1541. Heraldic emblems belonging to notable families may be seen on many of the tombstone's.
Of Special Interest are:
The marble bust of John Gibson sculpture, christened in Conwy church in 1790, one of the contributors to this memorial was the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII)
Effigy inSouth aisle of Mary (died 1585) mother of John Williams, Archbishop of York, in Charles 1st Reign and keeper of the great Seal of England.
Seventeenth century floor slab in the chancel, inscribed Nicholas HOOKES forty first child of his father and himself father of 27 chuildren.
A rare reproduction of Andrea del Sarto's "Christ" near the pulpit.
The Tudor Font replacing an earlier one is unique. It has a heavily moulded octagonal base and panels of the pedastal and bowl are moulded and decorated with tracery. John WILLIAMS Archbishop of York was christened here 27th March 1582 In the graveyard is a grave with the inscription 'We are Seven' Immortalized by Wordsworths Poem 'We are Seven' inspired after his visit to Conway.
Memorial Inscriptions from St Mary's Parish Church Conwy North Wales...this project is not complete yet check back soon.
.......Robert JONES Mariner Died 24th May 1826 aged 50 also Luke ROBERTS late mate of the 'Ayrshire Lassie' son of the above named Robert JONES by his wife Jane, Luke died on his passage to Liverpool on 24th Jan 1850 aged 36, also Jane third daughter of above Died March 4th 1851 aged 38, also Jane wife of the above Robert JONES died Nov 1st 1862 aged 80, also John WILLIAMS second son of the above named Robert JONES by his wife Jane died March 1st 1901 aged 80.........
Edward son of Edward FOULKES by Sarah his wife, died 22nd Dec 1834 aged 6. Also Edward son of the above died 8th May 1836 aged 9. Also John son of the above died May 31st 1843 aged 10 Edward FOULKES father died 3rd Sept 1859 aged 74 Robert his son died Feb 16th 1879 aged 39 Sarah FOULKES. wife died at daughters residence Bodgwilym Dysirth March 27th 1885 aged 81
'In Hopes of Joyful resurrection, here lieth Thomas FOULKES who served his King and country throughout the peninsula war and at Waterloo in the 23rd Regiment of Foot (welsh fusileers) died 17th Nov 1847 aged 63 yrs
Jane Daughter of William HUGHES late master of the 'Sluice of Chester' by Eleanor his wife Died June 7th 1837 aged 6 weeks. Also Eleanor his wife died June 28th 1855 aged 49 Also Margeret LEWIS sister of the above named Eleanor HUGHES died Feb 19th 1895 aged 84 Also Catherine JONES sister of the above died Feb 17th 1909 aged 91
M.MORRIS died January 1st 1860 aged 66 Also Edward MORRIS 'Coal Dealer' husband of the above, died May 29th 1865 aged 75
Fanny wife of David HUGHES Station Master Conwy died Oct 19th 1854 aged 39 yrs. David HUGHES died at Llandudno Nov 16th 1864 aged 54yrs
Shem JONES Died Oct 14th 1816 aged 14 mnths, Also Dorothy died July 1st 1832 aged 10, Also Margeret mother of the above died June 24th 1837 aged 55, Also A. JONES Blockmaker Porth Y Felin Conwy died April 24th 1858 aged 80, Also Blanch daughter of Shem and Margeret JONES Died Aug 1 1847 aged 5 yrs, Also John son of the above died May 14th 1850 6 weeks, Also Shem JONES Died Dec 6 1878 aged 58 Blanch died April 15th 1883 aged 26
Four children of Richard and Martha JONES of Liverpool late of this town. Also Martha wife of Richard died Jan 20th 1857 aged 48, Also Richard died April 4th 1881 aged 76, Also Ann daughter died Sept 25th 1856 aged 15.
John son of Hugh GRIFFITH Ship Carpenter by Grace his wife died Jan 1st 1825 aged 1 yr, Also Jane daughter of the above died June 2nd 1826 aged 9. Also Grace wife of Hugh died March 26th 1849 aged 58. Also Hugh son of the above died Feb 11th 1839 aged 28. Also Hugh 'Ship Carpenter' died 27th Aug 1865 aged 79
John son of Edwin and Catherine BROWN of this town died Feb 11th 1863 aged 10 Also Edwin BROWN died Oct 17th 1897 aged 71, also Kate daughter of the above died Jan 20th 1918 aged 59
John OWEN Died June 23rd 1859 aged 57 also Henry youngest son of the above born 5 Nov 1858 died 1 April 1888, also Margeret wife of John died Feb 2 1901 aged 79
Robert ROBERTS 'Shipwright' died Oct 8th 1837 aged 53 also wife Jane died 4th Dec 1844 aged 65
Robert DAVIES Sole Agent of 'Pearl Fishery' of Conway River died Dec 3 1832 aged 62
Erected by young men to the memory of John FOX born April 1 1835 died July 8 1858
Richard EDWARDS late of Holyhead 'Blacksmith' who unfortunately drowned in crossing Conwy Ferry 25th Dec 1806 aged 36
In Memory of Eight children of Robert and Elizabeth DAVIES 'Mail Coach Inn' of this town also above named Robert DAVIES died Nov 24 1875 aged 65, also Elizabeth DAVIES Died June 17th 1895 aged 85, also Jane daughter of the above died March 23 1908 age 68
Thomas Jones Died 20 June 1856 aged 87
Catherine ROBERTS Relict of late Owen ROBERTS Interred 6 April 1790 aged 68, Also John ROBERTS Glazier son of the above died 3 Aug 1799 aged 40, Also Grace Wife of above Died 27 Jan 1824 aged 61. SM John ROBERTS son of above died and buried in London June 20 1843 aged 45
Margeret Wife of William WILLIAMS of Conwy died Dec 4 1847 aged 80
Griffith OWEN Mariner of this port died June 29 1860 aged 78, He was on board ship 'CONQUEROR' in the Battle of Trafalger AD 1805.
Catherine EVANS died 13 May buried 17 May 1797 aged 36
Owen ROBERTS died 25 April 1823 aged 66, also Gwen wife died Dec 20 1845 age 84
Three children of John DAVIES 'Coach and Horses Tavern' by Ellinor, Hugh died 17 Dec 1831 aged 2, Hugh died 5 Jan 1833 aged 6 mnths, Hugh died 4 March 1835 aged 4 mths., also David 4th son died April 15th 1843 aged 3 yrs, Also John DAVIES died Oct 12 1853 age 49
Henry EVANS Deganwy, Interred 2 Jan 1822 aged 65, Also Catherine his wife died 13 Sept 1823 aged 73
Grace daughter of John and Anne THOMAS Chapel House, died 3 Nov 1831 aged 2, also Roger son of above died 28 June 1843 aged 2 also Robert THOMAS son of above died 8 June 1856 aged 20, also John son of above died in Australia Jan 1 1859 aged 26 also Ann died Sept 28 1860-63, also William son of above died March 26 1863 age 36 also John THOMAS died Oct 5th 1869 aged 67
Robert ROBERTS Ship Carpenter, died 20 March 1847 age 74
Owen ROBERTS Died April 25 1823 age 66, also Gwen wife Died Dec 20 1843 age 84
Jane daughter of Owen and Jane THOMAS 'Rose Place, Conway' died April 15 1848 age 6 weeks, Mary second daughter of above died April 7 1855 age 6, also Owen THOMAS Joiner and Contractor died at Llandudno Nov 16 1855 age 35
Henry GOODALL of Dinton Hall in County of Bucks, for amny years a resident of Conway, Born 26 Jun 1802, died 25 March 1850
William THOMAS, Ferryman died May 21st 1824 age 53, Grace his wife died July 9 1820 age 50
Mary Ellen infant daughter of Richard WYCHE 'George and Dragon' by Ellen his wife Died Feb 22 1852 age 9mnths, also George son died Jan 19 1856 age 11 mnths, Richard WYCHE died 14 Oct 1857 age 39, Ellen BARTLEY wife of above died Nov 22 1891 age 71
Mary Ellen infant daughter of George INGHAM died Sept 8 1846 age 3 weeks, Jane wife of George INGHAM and daughter of Richard WYCHE died June 17 1847 1847 age 26 , also Elenor daughter of Richard WYCHE born June 28 1813 died July 19 1896
John ROBERTS of Hendre died March 1846 age 88, Ellenor wife died Feb 26 1855 age 84
Mary daughter of Robert JACKSON by Margeret his wife died Aug 10 1851 age 12 mnths, also Robert son of the above named Aprill 11th 1854 age 11mnths
John HUGHES late Boatman of H.M. Customs at the Port of Liverpool for forty yrs died 23 Feb 1853 age 82
Isaac PARRY 18 March 1848 age 44 Jane wife of above died 24 Jan 1857 age 37, also Elizabeth 10 mnths
John LOMBARD Squire of Plas Iolyn son of the late Rev Edmund LOMBARD of Lombardstowe County Cork Ireland died May 25 1840 age 66
Thomas ROBERTS 'Rising Gull' Mariner Died May 31 1858 age 61, also Ellen wife died March 22 1865 age 70
Mary daughter of the late J. MORLEY, Esq of Marrick Park Yorkshire Obit 31 March 1851
Edward WILLIAMS late of Black Lion Inn in town died Feb 23 1851 age 58, Grace WILLIAMS, 1883 age 90
Barbara HUGHES wife of Rev Robert HUGHES C.M. Minister died 19 Feb 1849 age 58
John THOMAS 'Ship Tavern' died Aug 10 1858 age 54, also Elizabeth wife of above John THOMAS died Dec 27 1877 age 81
Richard ROBERTS Gorphenef 18 1852 age 37
Ann wife of Thomas PARRY died March 1842 age 79, Mary daughter of above died 3 Oct 1843 age 51, Thomas PARRY died 20 Dec 1843 age 79, Daniel son of above died May 18 1871 age 70
John, son of John THOMAS 'Union Tavern' of this town who died 14 April 1848 age 43, John THOMAS 'Union Tavern' of this town who died 3 Jan 1849 age 76 and of Janet wife of above died Feb 27 1853 age 75, Richard son of above 'late chemist and druggist at Llandudno' died Nov 25 1856 age 56
Margeret daughter of John DAVIES 'Welsh Harp' Liverpool died July 29 1848 age 16 also Grace Jane daughter of above by Margeret his wife who died May 25 1850 age 2 yrs 6 mnths.
Henry REES son of John and Margeret JENKINS of Penrhiwards(sp) Parish of Eglwysfach who died 10 Dec 1848 age 7 weeks, 'Not born for this clime born for eternity', also Charles KENYON infant son of the above died 30 June 1851, also Eva Margeret second daughter of the above who died 4 May 1859 age 4 and half.