'Jewel-box' Arts and Crafts movement church to be restored

An "exceptionally significant" Grade I listed church said to represent some of the most "outstanding" Arts and Crafts movement work in Wales is to undergo repairs.

St Mark's at Brithdir, Gwynedd, has a raft of striking features including a beaten copper-fronted font and pulpit.

Preservation group the Friends of Friendless Churches (FoFC) described it as an "Arts and Crafts jewel-box with Italianate-influence".

But the building, situated on Cader Idris at the southern end of Eyri National Park, needs work to protect it from water ingress and save it for future generations.

The FoFC is behind an application to Eryri National Park Authority for listed building consent to do restoration work, including re-roofing, re-pointing and internal plastering and decorations.

The group says the church was commissioned by Louisa Tooth in memory of her second husband Charles, founder and chaplain of St Mark's English Church in Florence.

"Louisa appointed Henry Wilson as her architect, and this full-blooded Arts and Crafts church was built in 1895-98," it says on its website.

The church is "particularly important for its boldness of its architecture" and for the "wonderfully naturalistic detail of fittings", the application states.

It adds: "Upon entering the church, the visitor is transported from the rugged Welsh countryside to a warm Mediterranean clime. Burnt sienna walls give way to a ceiling of azure blue."

Other features include a decorated lead-clad circular font, choir benches decorated with a kingfisher, squirrel, rabbits, mice, owl and tortoise and bench ends displaying a stylised "SM" said to be for St Mark.

A supporting statement in the planning documents says: "The interior decoration and fittings are arguably the most complete and high quality Arts and Crafts work in Wales.

"The pulpit is of beaten copper with three faces each featuring a wreath encircling grapes. The ends of the stalls have animals carved by Arthur Grove.

"The nave doors are built from oak and teak in chevrons, the points of which have tiny sparkling crowns of mother-of-pearl."

Planning documents note the church has "suffered over the years", adding the building was still "in a fair structural condition but is suffering water damage in this very exposed location".

The application explains that in 2025, specialist conservation builders had observed "extensive slate defects" across both of the church's roof slopes.

"The roof is in poor condition overall due to widespread nail failure," it adds.

"Water damage is particularly prevalent around the east end and south sides of the church where plaster and paint finishes are severely affected."

The plans add the applicants "seek to sensitively repair the building to improve its condition and help it remain open for years to come".

The Arts and Crafts movement dominated during the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century.

It championed traditional craftsmanship over mass production and was a social and artistic revolt against the impact of the Industrial Revolution.