St Marcella, Whitchurch, Denbigh
SJ0714066234
St Marcella's, or the “White church”, stands alone overlooking the Vale of Clwyd. It is said
that St Marcella founded a hermitage here by a holy well in the 7 th century. It has always
been Denbigh's parish church and was rebuilt as a double naved church in the late 15 th
century, with an imposing tower and a fine range of perpendicular style windows. The
interior is illuminated by the clear windows revealing the double angel hammer-beam roof
supported by elegant sandstone pillars. Animals, flowers and grotesques have recently
been painted with vivid colours.
A wealth of monuments to the great and the good of Denbigh and Denbighshire range
from hatchments around the walls; a classical temple for Humphrey Llwyd a polymath,
who produced some of the first accurate maps; a fine brass for the Myddletons and a
magnificent alabaster tomb for the Salusburys.
What of graffiti? There was an array on the 1676 churchwardens' chest and several pillars
had been inscribed with shapes that could be interpreted as definite graffiti. The age of
these inscriptions cannot be determined and the shapes are very much open to
interpretation.
churchwardens' chest graffiti
The churchwardens' chest 1676.
Inscribed on 2 separate pillars, do these represent a church?
On a pillar by the chancel – is it a ship?
At the base of a pillar at the west end.
Salusbury monument
Hammer-beam roof
Font inscription 1640.
Angel on roof corbel
Hatchment