Built in 1837, the church’s construction was largely due to Sir Richard Butler Clough of Min y Don Hall. It was built as a chapel of ease to Llandrillo yn Rhos parish church, where he was a warden, and its dedication to St Catherine of Alexandria was in honour of his wife, Catherine.
Funded by voluntary contributions it seated 250, 150 of which were for the parish’s poor. With the creation of the parish of Colwyn in 1844 it became the parish church.
The church has been restored twice, in 1871 and 1891, and the internal fittings probably largely date from then. The Vicarage, built in 1871 opposite the church, became the Llys Madoc flats for the elderly in the 1980s. During the Second World War the ringing of the church bell was forbidden as it would have signalled enemy invasion. The war memorial was erected in 1923.
A Listed Building, the church is of local limestone with a slate roof. The square tower, one of its
principal features, has simple corner finials with double battlements in between and plain arched louvred openings below.
A plain string course circles the tower, the Abergele Road elevation of which accommodates the clock installed in 1890 in memory of Rev J D Jones, vicar from 1866-87. This elevation is fairly plain with a porch at the western end, where the date 1837 is discretely inscribed above the arched entrance porch.
The gabled elevation facing Church Walks is notable for the large, stained glass, four light window in memory of Sir Richard. A limestone wall runs along the Abergele Road boundary enclosing the grave yard. Holes in the wall’s copings indicate the earlier presence of railings. Fortunately the high ornamental gates have survived.
Sadly the building has now ceased to be used as a place of worship.
When facing the Church on Abergele Road, to the right you will see the Churchmen’s Club.
To find out more about the history of the Churchmen’s Club visit the website of Colwyn Churchmen’s Snooker Club.
