St Catwg's Church, Gelligaer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Catwg's, Gelligaer |
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| 51°39′52″N 3°15′04″W / 51.6645°N 3.2512°W | |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | c. 6th Century |
| Dedication | Cadoc |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish Church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 18 July 2001 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | stone |
| Bells | 1 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Gelligaer |
| Deanery | Merthyr Tydfil & Caerphilly |
| Archdeaconry | Morgannwg |
| Diocese | Llandaff |
St Catwg's Church in Gelligaer is a special old church located in the community of Gelligaer, which is in Caerphilly, South Wales. It's a "Listed" building, meaning it's protected because of its history and importance.
Contents
Church History and Beginnings
The area where Gelligaer stands was once a Roman fort. People believe that Saint Catwg (also known as Cadoc) was born here around the year 500 AD. His mother was named Gwladys. Records show that Cadoc lived in a place called 'Capel Gwladys' around 530 AD. You can still see parts of it today!
We don't know the exact date the church was first built. However, it's thought to have been around 1266. This was when the Normans took control of the local area. Sadly, many early church records are lost, so we don't know much about its first years.
Gifts and Changes Over Time
A document found in Cardiff shows that Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford, gave the church some bells and an organ. Jasper Tudor was the uncle of King Henry VII of England. He lived in Cardiff Castle starting in 1488. He gave these gifts to thank the people of Glamorgan for supporting the Tudor family. St Catwg's was one of eight churches in the area to get such gifts. Llandaff Cathedral even received a new tower! The organ and bells at St Catwg's lasted until the time of the Commonwealth of England (a period when England was ruled without a king).
During the Reformation (a big change in the church), many valuable items were taken from St Catwg's. The church's records were also lost. For a while, many people in Gelligaer continued to follow the old ways of the church. In 1622, some church members were even called to court for not going to the new Reformed services.
Challenges and Restoration
The church's leader during the Commonwealth period was removed because he didn't agree with new church rules. For ten years after that, the church didn't have a steady leader.
Gelligaer was a very wealthy parish. Sometimes, this meant that church leaders didn't always live there or care for the people as much as they should. One example was Thomas Stacy. He was the rector (main priest) from 1827 to 1861. But he spent almost all his time in Llandaff, where he had another job.
By 1862, the church building was in bad shape. This was partly because of the leaders who weren't there. In September 1866, the church's roof fell in! It was fixed by an architect named Charles Buckeridge in 1867-1868. In 1903, the plaster inside the church was removed. Later, in 1931, a new room for the priests (called a vestry) was added. The old vestry became a special small chapel called a lady chapel. St Catwg's became a "listed" building in 2001, recognizing its historical importance.
Daughter Churches
St Catwg's used to be part of a very large parish. This parish covered a big part of North Eastern Glamorgan. In the 1800s, more factories and industries came to the area. This meant more people moved there, and the population grew a lot. Because of this, the large parish was split into smaller ones. St Catwg's later had two "daughter churches" built. These are churches that were created from the original large parish.
St Margaret's, Gilfach
This church started as a small mission in 1895. A mission is like a small church outreach. The first church building was a small wooden structure built in 1903. It was located on Margaret Street. Later, a "tin tabernacle" was built at the current spot on St Mary's Street. A tin tabernacle is a church made from corrugated iron sheets.
This tin church then became a church hall. The current St Margaret's Church was finished next to it and opened on November 29, 1933. The old wooden church was also moved to this location. However, both the wooden church and the tin tabernacle have since been taken down.
St Anne's, Cefn Hengoed
Work on St Anne's in Cefn Hengoed began in 1931. The church building was completed in 1939. This church was used until the early 2010s.
Images for kids
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St Margaret's Church, Gilfach (1933)
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St Anne's Church, Cefn Hengoed (1939). Now defunct
