St Cadfan's Church, Tywyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Cadfan's Church (Tywyn) |
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St Cadfan's Church
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| 52°35′17″N 4°05′07″W / 52.5880°N 4.0853°W | |
| Location | Tywyn, Gwynedd |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Anglican (Church in Wales) |
| Previous denomination | Catholic Church (ended mid-16th century) |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Saint Cadfan |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Medieval masons |
| Style | Romanesque Architecture |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Tywyn |
| Deanery | Ystumaner |
| Archdeaconry | Meirionnydd |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bangor |
| Province | Wales |
St Cadfan's Church (which is Eglwys Cadfan in Welsh) is a very old and important church. You can find it in the town of Tywyn in Gwynedd, Wales.
This church is special because of its amazing Romanesque style. It also holds a super old and famous stone called the Cadfan Stone. This stone has the oldest known writing in the Welsh language!
Contents
Discover St Cadfan's Church
St Cadfan's Church is a historic building in Wales. It has been around for many centuries. The church is named after Saint Cadfan, who founded it a very long time ago.
A Church with a Long History
Imagine this church being attacked by Vikings! That actually happened in the year 963. This event was written down in an old Welsh book called Brut y Tywysogion.
Later, in the 1100s, a famous poet named Llywelyn Fardd (I) even wrote a poem about the church. The oldest parts of the building you see today were built around that time, in the 12th century.
The church used to have a tall tower right in the middle. But sadly, this tower fell down in 1693.
The Ancient Cadfan Stone
Inside St Cadfan's Church, you can see the incredible Cadfan Stone. This stone cross is extremely old, dating back to the 9th century or even earlier!
What makes it so special? It has the oldest known writing in the Welsh language carved into it. It's like a time capsule of ancient Welsh words!
Mysterious Monuments Inside
The church also has two cool monuments from the 1300s.
One monument is a stone carving of a priest. He is shown wearing his special church clothes, called Eucharistic vestments. We don't know who this priest was.
The other monument is a carving of a knight. People think it might be Gruffudd ab Adda, who lived around 1350. This knight's carving is known as the 'Crying Knight'. Why? Because there's a small flaw in the stone near his right eye. When it rains, this spot gets damp, making it look like the knight is weeping!
The Old Vicarage
The vicarage is the house where the church's priest used to live. The one for St Cadfan's Church was built in the early 1800s. It is still standing today on National Street.
Now, it's a private home called 'Tŷ Cadfan Sant'. National Street used to be called Duck Street. It got its new name from the National School that was once located there. This school later became known as Towyn Church School.
