HMS Conway

Above the Chapter House is the Scriptorium. This is now the home of the Friends of HMS Conway, a training ship which formerly stood in the River Mersey off Rock Ferry.

The Scriptorium also serves as a small chapel where services are held two or three times a year.

New stained glass windows have now been installed, commissioned by Old Conways and designed by the late David Hillhouse. The furniture and memorabilia were moved from the Conway Centre in Angelsey together with many items donated by Old Conways worldwide.

HMS Conway was a naval training school or “school ship”, founded in 1859 and housed for most of its life aboard a 19th-century wooden battleship. The ship was originally stationed on the Mersey near Liverpool, then moved to the Menai Strait during World War II. While being towed back to Birkenhead for a refit in 1953, she ran aground and was wrecked.

By necessity, full training of the cadets continued in a new hutted camp in the grounds of the Marquess of Anglesey’s residence, Plas Newydd, using his private dock for seamanship and small boat handling.

In 1964 the new HMS Conway, a purpose college close to Plas Newydd, was opened by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. However, with the running down of the British Merchant Navy and the emphasis being placed on university style nautical training,it was decided to finally close Conway in 1974

The Scriptorium is open to visitors and the Chapel is available to outside organisations for services by arrangement.

To find out more about HMS Conway please visit the HMS Conway website.