#welsh churches

[chalkskyline]

Spiritualist Church, Aberaeron, Wales, August 2024

[fionamccall]

Rug Chapel, Corwen

Rug chapel was built in 1637 by the (later) royalist William Salesbury.  It has been described as ‘high church’ and it is certainly true that one can’t imagine the puritan sensibility finding much to like about it.  There are angels and crosses:

There is religious symbolism, including this memento mori, in Welsh:

But the overall effect is more pagan than anything, a riot of frolicking beasts, flowers and vegetation:

[mostly-history]

St. Augustine’s Church (Penarth, Wales).

[fionamccall]

The trumpet shall sound

Way over the top monument to Mis Mary Myddelton (1688-1747) by Roubiliac in St Giles church, Wrexham.

[fionamccall]

Pistyll Rhaedr and Wrexham steeple, Snowdon's mountain without its people,  Overton's yew trees, St Winifred's wells, Llangollen's bridge and Gresford's bells.

‘The Seven Wonders of North Wales’, late 18th century,  quoted in A Most Peculiar People: Quotations about Wales and the Welsh, ed. Meic Stephens (Cardiff, 1992), p. 32

[fionamccall]

He [Gruffydd ap Cynan] made Gwynedd glitter with lime-washed churches like the firmament with stars

Buchedd Gruffudd ap Cynan (c. 1150) quoted in A Most Peculiar People: Quotations about Wales and the Welsh, ed. Meic Stephens (Cardiff, 1992), p. 6

[fionamccall]

Resolved: that all the pews in the Church be made uniform and of the same height as the Iron Masters' pews, except those of Mr Crawshay, Mr Forman, Mr Hill and Mr Guest.

minute-book of the parish of Merthyr Tydfil, 6 May 1818, quoted in  A Most Peculiar People: Quotations about Wales and the Welsh, ed. Meic Stephens (Cardiff, 1992), p. 36

[fionamccall]

Only a few of the parishioners have actively joined their Seiats, and nine out of ten follow the itinerant preachers without caring to what denomination and sect they belong.

The vicar of Llanynghenedl to the Bishop of Bangor, 1814, quoted in A Most Peculiar People: Quotations about Wales and the Welsh, ed. Meic Stephens (Cardiff, 1992), p. 36