Wrexham Churches Survey

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Berse Drelincourt Church

Summary

The small church at Berse Drelincourt, lacking a dedication, lies on the western edge of Wrexham. It was originally built as a chapel in 1742 and enlarged in 1828. It includes several 18thC fittings but nothing earlier. Its churchyard is small and rectangular but is not consecrated for burials.

Built in 1742 and extended westwards in 1828. A porch was added in 1930.

Parts of the following description are quoted from the 1986 publication The Buildings of Wales: Clwyd by Edward Hubbard

History

The chapel was founded and endowed by Mary Drelincourt, widow of a Dean of Armagh, as a chapel for a girls' charity school that had been founded in 1719. The chapel was built in 1742 and consecrated 1759. This building had pinnacles on all corners and at the gable, and the present blocked doorway in the south wall was the main entrance as is depicted in Thomas's 19thC sketch.

The chapel was extended to the west in 1828 to accommodate two large pews for the Gatewen and Plas Power families.

It was re-seated in 1862.

Architecture

A single-chambered structure with a vestry projecting off the north side off the nave and a porch on the south side. A small square bell turret at the west gable. It is oriented fractionally south of due east.

Fabric: not visible.

Roofs:- slates with dark clay ridge tiles.

Drainage:- north and south wall guttering and downspouts lead to soakaways. Gravel laid around all walls of the church suggest a possible drainage trench, as does the concrete base along the north wall.

Exterior

Nave and chancel - General. No external differentiation. A chamfered sandstone plinth is continuous on all sides at c.0.1m. A small four-sided bell turret is painted white and contains four round-headed louvred apertures, a domed head and an iron finial.

North wall:- three round-headed windows, all with three lights, to the nave and one to the sanctuary. Four iron tie-rod plates on the wall. Vestry at the east end.

East wall:- north-east and south-east stepped buttresses flush with north and south walls. A round-headed window of three lights.

South wall:- two round-headed windows with three lights to either side of a blocked round-headed doorway with projecting keystone and imposts. On the archstones is inscribed 'This chapel was built and endow'd by Mary Drelincourt 1742'. Four iron tie-rod plates on wall.

West wall:- north-west and south-west buttresses extend the north and south walls.

Vestry - General. North wall has a two-light wooden two-centred window with Y-tracery.

Porch - General. Added in 1930 to the 1828 nave extension. A square-headed doorway with moulded jambs in the south wall, and over it a sandstone cross set into the gable. A round-headed window with projecting imposts in the west wall.

Interior

Porch - General. Stone flagged floor and plastered walls. A simple raftered roof.

North wall:- a round-headed doorway, unchamfered and unembellished.

East wall:- a bench, and a wooden plaque commemorating the erection of the porch.

Nave - General. 19thC tiled floors with the benches raised on wood plank flooring. Walls plastered and painted and four tie rods cross the nave. Plastered ceiling, flat at the sides and rising as a tunnel-vault down the middle; blue and gold bands painted along the cornices. The window dressings are likewise painted. At the east end of the nave are stalls, an organ and a pulpit.

North wall:- First World War memorial.

East wall:- two steps up to the sanctuary.

South wall:- one painting and above it a shell-like ornament of some size projects from the wall with a winged putto in relief below it: this was over the now blocked south door.

West wall:- a Creed board and two 20thC embroideries.

Sanctuary - General. Two steps up from the nave. Encaustic tiles on the floor. Roof and walls are a continuation of the nave.

North wall:- monument to Mary Drelincourt.

East wall:- above the window is a plaque in high relief with a verse, and beneath two putti with unfurled wings.

South wall:- brass of 20thC date.

Vestry - General. 19thC tiled floor. Plastered walls and ceiling.

Churchyard

A small raised rectangular churchyard.

Boundary:- a stone wall. The roadside walls are surmounted by iron railings.

Monuments:- none.

Earthworks:- rasied by about 1m on the east and west and 1.5m on the south.

Ancillary features:- a pair of decorative iron gates form the south entrance.

Vegetation:- two 18thC yews located to either side of blocked south doorway. Single yews in the north-east and south-east corners.

Sources consulted

CPAT Field Visits: 21 November 1996 and 17 February 1999
CPAT SMR
Faculty: St Asaph 1828 (NLW): enlargement of the chapel
Faculty: St Asaph 1930 (NLW): boiler house, porch
Hubbard 1986, 108
Thomas 1913, 234
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Please note that many rural churches are closed to the public at certain times. It is advisable to check when the church will be open before visiting. Information about access, or how to contact parish clergy, can often be obtained from the relevant Diocesan Office which can be found through the Church in Wales website. Further information about Berse Drelincourt Church may also be found on the St Asaph Diocese website.