St Padrig's Church, Llanbadrig facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Padrig's Church
Country	Wales, United Kingdom
Denomination	Church in Wales
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	5 December 1970
Architectural type	Church
Style	Medieval

St Padrig's Church is an old church found in the village of Llanbadrig, Anglesey, Wales. It's called a "medieval" church because it was built a very long time ago, probably in the 1100s. Over the years, it has been fixed up and changed, especially in the 1800s. This church is also a special "Grade II* listed building," which means it's an important historical place that needs to be protected. It got this special status on December 5, 1970.

The Church's Story: A Journey Through Time

How St. Padrig's Church Began

There's a cool legend about how this church started. It's said that Saint Patrick, a very famous saint, was sent to Ireland in the 400s to teach people about Christianity. On his way back, his ship crashed near a small island called Middle Mouse (or Ynys Badrig), which is close to Anglesey.

Saint Patrick found a safe cave on the island. Later, when he made it to the mainland of Anglesey, he built a church on the cliffs nearby. He did this to thank everyone for keeping him safe. The first church was likely made of wood, and it's not there anymore.

Building the Stone Church

The stone church you see today might have been built around the 1100s. Even the font, which is a special bowl used for baptisms, is thought to be from that time. We know the church was definitely around in 1254. It was mentioned in a record called the "Norwich Taxation," which was a list of church properties for taxes.

The church's main parts, the nave (where people sit) and the chancel (near the altar), were built at different times. The nave was probably built first, in the 1100s or 1200s. The chancel was added later. The arch that connects these two parts might be from the early 1300s.

Changes Over the Years

The windows in the church have also changed over time. The window at the very front of the chancel is probably from the 1500s. Other windows were likely replaced later, perhaps in 1812 or 1840, when the church was being repaired. More big repairs happened in 1884.

Challenges and Rebirth

After a new church opened in a nearby village called Cemmaes in the late 1800s, St Padrig's Church wasn't used as much. It started to fall apart.

But in 1985, people worked hard to raise money to fix it up. Soon after the church reopened, something sad happened: there was a fire. People thought vandals might have started it, and much of the roof was destroyed.

Even after this setback, people didn't give up! More money was raised, and the church was repaired again. It was officially reopened in 1987. Today, St Padrig's Church stands strong, showing its long history and the efforts of people who cared for it.