St Tudwal's Church, Barmouth Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Tudwal's Church
West side of the church
52°43′32″N 4°03′26″W / 52.725474°N 4.057217°W / 52.725474; -4.057217
OS grid reference	SH6116616189
Location	Barmouth, Gwynedd
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	WrexhamDiocese.org.uk
History
Status	Active
Founder(s)	Fr C. B. Wilcock
Dedication	Tudwal
Consecrated	August 1908
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Groundbreaking	15 August 1904
Completed	1905
Administration
Deanery	Dolgellau
Diocese	Wrexham
Province	Cardiff

St Tudwal's Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Barmouth, Gwynedd, a beautiful coastal town in Wales. It's a special place where people gather for worship. The church was built in 1905 and is part of the Diocese of Wrexham. You can find it on King Edward Road, which leads from Barmouth towards Llanaber.

History of St Tudwal's Church
The Parish of St Tudwal's
Gallery
See also

History of St Tudwal's Church

How Catholic Worship Began in Barmouth

Catholic services in Barmouth started way back in 1890. At first, a priest named Father Donovan held services in people's homes. Soon, a small church was built on Park Road. This first church opened on September 11, 1891. It was quite a memorable day because the steeple of the nearby St John's Church actually fell down on the same day!

At that time, there weren't many Catholics in North Wales. The Catholic churches in this area were managed by the Diocese of Shrewsbury. Later, in 1895, they became part of a new group called the Vicariate Apostolic of Wales. By 1898, this group became the Diocese of Menevia. St Tudwal's was one of the few Catholic churches in North Wales during this period of change.

Building the New Church

In the early 1900s, a new priest, Father C. B. Wilcock, arrived in Barmouth. He came from St Helens, Merseyside. Father Wilcock saw that more and more people were joining the church. He worked hard to get a new, bigger church built to welcome everyone.

The construction of the new church was finished in 1905. It was officially opened by the very first Bishop of Menevia, Francis Mostyn. The first stone of the church was laid on August 15, 1904. This special event honored the Virgin Mary and Saint Tudwal.

Celebrating Anniversaries

On September 1, 1939, the church celebrated its 31st anniversary since it was officially dedicated. Father Patrick Collins was the priest at that time. He organized a special Mass to remember Father Wilcock, who had worked so hard to build the church. A choir from De La Salle College in Father Wilcock's hometown came to sing at the Mass. They were on holiday nearby and wanted to help celebrate.

The Parish of St Tudwal's

St David in Seion Church in Harlech

The parish of St Tudwal's Church also includes another church called St David in Seion Church. This church is located in Harlech, another town in Wales. St David's Church has an interesting history. It was originally built in 1814 as a Wesleyan Methodist chapel. It was rebuilt in 1872 and then, in 1998, it was bought and changed to become a Catholic church.

If you visit, St David's Church in Harlech has a Sunday morning Mass at 9:00 AM. St Tudwal's Church in Barmouth has its Sunday Mass at 11:00 AM.