Houses buried under Penrhyn Quarry

[Quarryman]

Yr Elldee,

Hope this reaches you

[YrElldee]

Thank you so much for the photos.
The picture is of Llandegai Church. I'm assuming you haven't posted St Ann's yet but you say they are similar?
Llandegai does go back to the 15th c as there's a tomb of John William (Archbishop of York) of Cochwillan (1581-1650). The picture you have is from the north side of Llandegai and you can see in the distance the Great Orme and Penmaenmawr. What's interesting is the circular wall surrounding the church and the door arch in the south nave which are not there today.

Thanks for the Bethesda picture; I've not seen this before. It's opposite the police station and near Bethesda Chapel and 'siop no 1'.

[Quarryman]

Hi YrElldee,

   You have made things a lot (unfortunately) clearer; the picture I sent you is the oriiginal 'St Ann's' drawing I have - but the caption definitely says "St Ann's Church drawn shortly after it was built in 1786"! However, have run it through a L5 spectroscope enhancer we have and you can definitely see the great Orme and sea in the background. Damn!  Also put the second drawing through our technology, but it only makes things worse - however, it does appear to be somewhat similar. Only wish the slate etching was clearer, but will try and get a print and run it through our technology.

The only other thing I will pursue is to see if the Penrhyn archives at Bangor University have a drawing of At Ann's. A forlorn hope I fear.

Still that's what make historical research so fascinating.

[hanes teulu]

This is near the original St Ann's church built in 1812 and was also buried.

Y Dysgedydd crefyddol, 1 Oct 1908 (a monthly Welsh language religious periodical)
HISTORY OF A RELIGIOUS CAUSE IN THE PARISHES OF LLANLLECHID AND LLANDEGAI, ARFON

1813
St Ann's was built in the Parish of Llandegai close to Penrhyn quarry by the widow of the first Lord of Penrhyn**. In later years the Lady made a gift of a beautiful organ to the Church, which is now in the new St. Ann's. Since there was a need for the ground the old St. Ann's was on for the quarry waste, the grandfather of the present Lord built the new St. Ann's and Vicarage. I understand the cost was £6,500. Seats 400.

(** - died 1808)

[YrElldee]

Diolch yn fawr iawn!!
This is the evidence I was hoping would appear to confirm St Ann's was built between 1812-13. I can't thank you enough for your diligent research. How can I locate this publication? The 1st vicar was appointed in 1912.
Anna Susannah Warburton was the wife of Richard Pennant and she died in 1816 so there might be a will in the Penrhyn Papers in Bangor Uni. Archives (sadly closed for now) which shows she carried out Richard's wishes.
Thanks too for the information about the organ. The organ in Llandegai church came from Penrhyn Castle and is on the west gallery. The casework was designed by Thomas Hopper, the castle's builder but we don't know who made the organ itself. It might be that the original St Ann's church was designed by either Samuel or Benjamin Wyatt in the style of Llandegai. Here's a slate engraving of it in 1836 and shows a tower but no transepts:

[YrElldee]

Sorry: 1st vicar was 1812.

[Quarryman]

Hi Yr Elldee,

Confused about your mention of Penmaenmawr and  the Great Orme in drawing.I may be wrtong, but I don't think you can see either from anywhere in Llandygai. Artistic licence perhaps.

[hanes teulu]

Croeso.
Welsh Journals online (safle ardderchog!!)  https://journals.library.wales

I put "st ann's" (include the "   " as part of key) in "Search" - 356 hits.
I then put llandegai ("  " not required) in "Search within these results" - 37 hits

The  Dysgedydd crefyddol item is the first listed - click on title "Hen.Gyf......" "underlined)

Pob lwc

cofion cynnes

[Quarryman]

Hi Yr Elldee,

I think I have solved my St Ann's riddle  ; the drawing I have, although it says it is St Ann's, built in the 1700s, and buried under the Penrhyn quarry spoil tips, is obviously that of St Tegai in Llandygai Village - although I still don't think you can see Penmaenmawr or the Great Orme, or the River Conway,  from the church as the artist does!

Ecclesiastical records show it 'my' St Ann's was completed by 1807 (the year before Richard Pennant' death) and consecrated in 1813.

Apparently there is a large Pennant memorial in St Tegai's which also commemorates the building of the original St Ann's, and may show the church.

One remaining puzzle; I have an old map which shows a 'disused' church close to the quarry at Tan-ysgrafel. Do you know what that church was?

I think I have run out of sources for a drawing of the original St Ann's, but hope springs eternal.

Thanks to everyone who provided information.