St Michael and All Angels Church, Tongwynlais facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael & All Angels |
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| 51°31′55″N 3°15′03″W / 51.5319°N 3.2508°W | |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 10 June 1977 |
| Architect(s) | John Prichard |
| Architectural type | Victorian Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 1875 |
| Completed | February 1877 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of floors | 1 |
| Materials | sandstone |
| Bells | 1 (space for 2) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Tongwynlais |
| Deanery | Llandaff |
| Archdeaconry | Llandaff |
| Diocese | Llandaff |
St Michael and All Angels Church is a church that follows the Anglican Christian faith. It is located in the village of Tongwynlais in South Wales. This church serves the local area, also called the parish of Tongwynlais. It is also a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building protected by law.
A Church for Tongwynlais
For a long time, people in Tongwynlais who followed the Anglican faith had to travel far. They had to go nearly 2.5 miles to St Mary's Church in Whitchurch. This was because Tongwynlais did not have its own Anglican church. However, there was already the Ainon Baptist Church in the village since 1828.
First Steps Towards a Local Church
In 1850, a local landowner named Henry Lewis helped the community. He owned Greenmeadow and turned his coach-house into a church and school. This meant people in Tongwynlais no longer had to travel to Whitchurch. It was the first time they had a local place for Anglican worship.
Building a New Church
Later, in 1875, Henry Lewis gave land for a brand new church building. He also donated £100 to help pay for it. Other groups, like the Llandaff Church Extension Society, also gave money. The Melingriffith Tin Plate Works, a local factory, also contributed.
The first stone of the new church was laid in 1875. John Prichard was chosen as the architect for the project. The church was built using red and grey sandstone. It officially opened in February 1877. For the next 44 years, it served as a smaller church, or "chapel of ease," connected to St Mary's Church in Whitchurch.
A Special Gift: The Rood Screen
A special part of the church is its rood screen. This is a decorative screen that separates the main part of the church from the altar area. It was given by Herbert Cory. He donated it to show thanks that villagers who fought in the First World War returned home safely.
Becoming an Independent Parish
Big changes happened after the Church in Wales was formed in 1920. This led to new arrangements for church areas.
New Parish Boundaries
In 1921, St Michael's Church became independent from the Parish of Whitchurch. It was placed in a new area called the Parish of Tongwynlais. This new parish was first part of the Deanery of Caerphilly. A deanery is a group of parishes. Later, it moved to the Deanery of Llandaff, where it remains today.
Changes to the Church and Area
In 1950, the church's graveyard became smaller. This happened because of a plan to make the road wider. In 1954, St Michael's Parish grew bigger. It was joined by St James' Church in Taff's Well and St Mary's Church in Nantgarw. These churches had previously been part of the Parish of Eglwysilan. However, St Mary's in Nantgarw closed its doors in 1983.
St Michael's Church was given "listed status" in 1977. This means it is recognized as an important historical building.
Current Leadership
As of August 2025, the priest in charge at St Michael's is Reverend Sandra Birdsall. She also leads the wider Garth Ministry Area. This area now includes the former parishes of Tongwynlais, Radyr, and Pentyrch.
St Mary & St James, Taff's Well
The church of St Mary and St James in Taff's Well is still connected to St Michael's. It is considered St Michael's sister church.
History of St Mary & St James
This building was first built on Church Street in 1869. It was originally used as a school. It continued as a school until 1879, when a new village school was built. After that, the building was changed and became a church.
Remembering Local Heroes
The church has a special war memorial inside. This memorial remembers local people who lost their lives. It honors those who died during the two World Wars and during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
After St Mary's in Nantgarw closed in 1983, St James' Church changed its name. It added "St Mary" to its dedication to remember the closed church. It is now known as St Mary and St James.
