The £10,000 grant from the National Churches Trust will help pay for urgent tower and roof repairs to the Grade II* Listed church. The repairs will help ensure that the magnificent building stands for at least another 500 years and continues to be a safe and welcoming place for the community and visitors.
Pictured above, receiving the award from left to right are: Stephen King (Church Health & Safety Officer), Louise Barker (Project Archaeologist and Video Voice over), Peter Garson (Project Manager), Rhian Davies (Church Treasurer), Val Jenkins (Church Secretary) and David Jenkins (Village Resident).
St Michael's is a highly significant historic building in Wales. The church was built in the thirteenth century and is characteristically plain but dignified and retains its medieval character largely intact. It is one of very few complete Welsh Romanesque churches of cruciform plan with a central tower.
Rhian Davies, Treasurer of the church said:
“We are absolutely thrilled to have won the Friends' Vote and extremely thankful to the Friends of the National Church Trust for voting for us. Without this award, we would have had to significantly scale back the scope of our works. The additional funding will ensure that all the necessary works will be fully completed and will secure the future of the church not only as a place of worship, but also as an important historic building for years to come.
"We look forward to welcoming you to our beautiful church upon completion of the works early next year. Thank you once again. Diolch yn fawr iawn!"
Four churches, which had been awarded a National Churches Trust Repair or Community Grant in 2021 and which needed additional funding prior to starting work on their projects, were shortlisted for the Friends’ Vote.
As well as St Michael’s, the other churches shortlisted were: St Peter ad Vincula, Ratley, Warwickshire, Our Lady Star of the Sea and St Michael, Workington, Cumbria and St Catherine, Sacombe, Hertfordshire.
2021 marks the fifth year of the National Churches Trust Friends’ Vote Grant. The scheme started in 2017 when St Mary Magdalene, in Paddington, west London, was awarded the first ever Friends of the National Churches Trust Grant of £10,000.
Claire Walker, Chief Executive at the National Churches Trust said:
“I'm delighted that St Michael, Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, Cardiganshire is to receive the 2021 Friends of the National Churches Trust Grant of £10,000 to help with the funding of the restoration of the church’s roof and tower.”
“2020 - 2021 has been a really tough period for churches with the effects of the lockdowns seriously affecting their income.”
“Through their support and generous donations, our growing number of Friends help us carry out our work of supporting churches in so many ways. Providing a direct way for them to help us select a church to award an additional grant of £10,000 is a great way to involve our Friends in our work.
“All the churches shortlisted for the Friends’ Vote have important projects to complete and I very much hope that they will be able to find the additional funding they require so they can complete their projects.”
“Many thanks to our Friends who took part in the 2021 vote, and congratulations to St Michael’s for winning. We very much look forward to following their progress.”
