St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden

St Deiniol's Church, Hawarden, is in the village of Hawarden, Flintshire, Wales. It is the parish church of the Rectorial Benefice of Hawarden in the deanery of Hawarden, the archdeaconry of Wrexham, and the diocese of St Asaph. The church has associations with W. E. Gladstone and his family, and is designated by Cadw as a Grade II* listed building.HistoryThe parish dates back at least 1,000 years and the list of rectors starts in 1180. The church was restored by James Harrison in about 1855–56. However it was badly damaged on 29 October 1857 by a fire which had been started deliberately. Some of the stained glass and woodwork at the east end were not damaged by the fire and the church had been restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott by the end of 1859. In 1896 a porch was added, designed by the Chester firm of architects, Douglas & Fordham. The same firm, then known as Douglas and Minshull designed the Gladstone Memorial Chapel at the east end of the north aisle, built between 1901 and 1903 and in 1908–09 the vestries which were added at the northeast of the church.ArchitectureExteriorThe plan of the church consists of a nave with north and south aisles, a chancel, a south porch, another porch to the chancel aisle, and northeast vestries. At the east end of the north aisle is the Gladstone Memorial Chapel, which has a three-sided apse, and at the east end of the south aisle is the Whitley Chapel. The tower is central, over the easternmost bay of the nave, in Perpendicular style, with a short lead-covered spire. The church is not cruciform, because it does not have transepts.