Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Ōmori Nori Vending Machine
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Parkside Plum Juice
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
7 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
8 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
9 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
10 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Wales Denbigh Leicester's Church
AO Edited

Leicester's Church

Also known as "Leicester's Folly," this almost cathedral was left unfinished and in ruins.

Denbigh, Wales

Added By
katielou106
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The ruined arches of Leicester’s Church.   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
The ruined arches of Leicester’s Church.   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Leicester’s Church   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Leicester’s Church   katielou106 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

St David's Church, more commonly known as Leicester's Church or "Leicester's Folly" was designed to be the first great Protestant church constructed in Britain following the Reformation.

The church takes its nickname from Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester and Baron of Denbigh, who was responsible for its construction. It was originally intended to be a Protestant cathedral and a replacement for St Hilary's Chapel.

However, funds for the project ran dry around 1584, partly due to the unpopularity of Dudley. Also, money designated for construction was used to pay for a military campaign in Ireland. It's also believed that many locals opposed the building of the church. 

Following Dudley's death in 1588, the project was completely abandoned. The church was left as a roofless ruin standing as a testament to one man's unrealized ambition, hence its nickname. What remains of the structure is now a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Related Tags

Ruins History & Culture Architecture Cathedral

Know Before You Go

GPS: 53°10'55.9"N, 3°25'08.4"W. The ruins are found just down the hill from Denbigh Castle. There is no access to the interior of the ruins.

Community Contributors

Added By

katielou106

Published

January 6, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Leicester's Church
22 Bull Lane
Denbigh, Wales, LL16 3NF
United Kingdom
53.182165, -3.419011
Get Directions

Nearby Places

St Hilary's Chapel

Denbigh, Wales

miles away

Denbigh Castle Ruins

Denbigh, Wales

miles away

1950s Museum Denbigh

Denbigh, Wales

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Denbigh

Denbigh

Wales

Places 7

Nearby Places

St Hilary's Chapel

Denbigh, Wales

miles away

Denbigh Castle Ruins

Denbigh, Wales

miles away

1950s Museum Denbigh

Denbigh, Wales

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Denbigh

Denbigh

Wales

Places 7

Related Places

  • Church of St. Sophia in Nessebar

    Nessebar, Bulgaria

    Hagia Sophia Church

    This fifth-century church is one of the oldest Christian sites in the Balkans.

  • Crawford Castle

    Crawford, Scotland

    Crawford Castle

    These crumbling ruins are all that's left of the ancestral home of Clan Crawford.

  • Ruins of Fabrica de Chave

    Boa Vista, Cape Verde

    Ruins of Fabrica de Chave

    The old ceramics factory on Boa Vista shows the power drifting sand has to destroy buildings.

  • Falkenburg

    Detmold, Germany

    Falkenburg

    The ruins of a medieval castle that survived two sieges.

  • Looking down to where the central round keep would have been

    Eglinton, Scotland

    Eglinton Castle

    The ruins of a once-grand castle that played host to a tournament with 100,000 attendees.

  • Lagoinha Ruins

    Lagoinha, Brazil

    Lagoinha Ruins

    A place of enchantment where stories of the past seem to come to life.

  • Screening room and the adjoining encapsulated remainsn

    Madrid, Spain

    Puerta de la Sagra

    The oldest vestiges of Madrid found here, have been incorporated into this new museum.

  • Resti del Circo Romano

    Milan, Italy

    Ruins of the Circo Romano

    See what remains of a once grand ancient Roman circus.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.