NOT often does one hear of a church, after being closed for 15
years, being brought back to life and working hard to become a
fully "grown-up parish". Even more unusual is that the church, St
Tudclud's, is in a Welsh-speaking village in
Bangor diocese, with bilingual services.
It closed in 1994, but was reopened in 2009 by popular demand
from the villagers of Penmachno, who were tired of having roving
services in schools and pubs. An important catalyst in the
reopening, I am told, was the military funeral held (by special
permission) for a young Royal Marine, L/Cpl Martin Richards, who
had been a member of the village community.
They found the church just as it was when it had been locked up
in 1994, and they have since been working on it. The gallery floor
has been strengthened, the altar rails removed, and the kitchen
improved. There is a small shop in the church, and a self-service
coffee machine that is much appreciated by visitors and bike-trail
users, as well as by members of the community. With two services a
month, and prayers on Wednesdays, the church has become the venue
for all manner of events, many of them fund-raising for the church
restoration.
The latest improvements have been to the windows. The Victorian
east window of Welsh saints was broken, and Meridian Glass, of St
Asaph, undertook its restoration, the Conwy Rural Partnership
contributing generously towards the cost. Though some of the broken
glass had been recovered, parts were missing, and it needed old
photographs and memories from the long-term residents of the
village to piece together the design.
While that was going on, it was decided to do something about
the vast south window, filling up the gap where a south transept
once stood, and generally considered an eyesore. A local artist,
Yvonne Amor, came up with a plan to create a faux window
of painted perspex (pictured). This was supported by an
award of £700 from the Conwy Arts Service. Ms Amor created the
design, inspired by a number of psalms, and people from the village
all helped to paint it.
The result is spectacular, Geraldine Thomas says; and the Bishop
of Bangor, the Rt Revd Andrew John, recently came to bless both
windows. Mrs Thomas is one of the steering group that is now
working to restore St Tudclud's to being a "grown-up parish" with
an electoral roll and a PCC.
