Mary Jones World facts for kids
The Mary Jones Pilgrim Centre (also known as Mary Jones World or Byd Mary Jones in Welsh) is a special place located in Llanycil, a village near Bala, Gwynedd, in Wales. It sits right on the north shore of Bala Lake. This centre tells the amazing story of Mary Jones, a young girl who lived a long time ago.
Contents
The Story of Mary Jones
Mary Jones was a fifteen-year-old girl from a village called Llanfihangel-y-Pennant. She really wanted her own Welsh-language Bible. Back in 1800, Bibles were not as easy to find as they are today.
Mary's Big Journey
Mary saved her money for six years to buy a Bible. Once she had enough, she walked 26 miles (about 42 kilometers) all the way to Bala. She thought she could buy a Bible there. However, when she arrived, she found that all the Bibles were sold out!
A Special Gift
Mary was very disappointed. But then, she met a kind Reverend named Thomas Charles. He was a very important person in the church. Some stories say that Reverend Charles gave Mary his own spare Bible. Other versions of the story suggest Mary waited for two days for new Bibles to arrive, and Reverend Charles gave her three copies to take back home.
About the Pilgrim Centre
The Mary Jones Pilgrim Centre was created by the British and Foreign Bible Society. It opened its doors on October 5, 2014. The centre cost about £1.3 million to build and is located in an old village church that was dedicated to Saint Beuno.
What You Can See and Do
Inside the centre, you can learn all about Mary Jones and her incredible journey. You can also discover how the Bible Society grew over the years. Reverend Thomas Charles, the man who helped Mary get her Bible, is buried in the churchyard of St Beuno, right next to the centre.
The centre welcomes school groups, making it a great place for educational visits. There's even a fun play area for children right next to the main building.
Pilgrim Café
The centre also has a lovely place called the Pilgrim Café. Here, you can enjoy hot drinks, delicious homemade cakes, and light lunches made with local ingredients. The café is open to everyone, so you can visit it even if you don't go into the main exhibition.
Recent Updates
The Mary Jones Pilgrim Centre closed for a while for some important updates. It reopened in March 2024 with a new name: Canolfan Pererin Mary Jones Pilgrim Centre. To find out the latest news and special events, you can check their social media pages, where they post regular updates.
