CAMBRIAN NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18186, 20 June 1927, Page 3

CAMBRIAN NOTES.

ST. MARY'S CHURCH, WELSH- I POOL. This ancient church is intimately con- | nected with the history of the town, j and reflects in its traditions all the j vicissitudes through which Welshpool ; has passed during 14 centuries. The , original church was founded by St. Cyn- j felyn, about A.D. 560, and prior to the 1 birth of St Augustine, who is reputed to j have introduced Christianity into Britain, there was a church there, probably rudely constructed of wood, reeds and wattle. St. Mary’s stands on a hill overlooking the town, in a good strategic position. Many a sanguinary battle must have raged round it. For nearly 800 years the church and town knew little or no rest. Petty wars, invasions and skirmishes were always going on. When the inhabitants of Powisland were not fighting among themselves, they were busy keeping the Saxons and Normans at bay. Probably Prince Griffith ap Wen Wynwyn built the present church after St. Gynfelvn's, a later church, a long, low, narrow building, without *aisles, roughly built of stone, with slits of windows, for little light sufficed when no one but the priests could read, had been burnt and destroyed. Griffith and Prince Llewellyn had several desperate fights, and made many bonfires between them. After the defeat of Llewellyn, Griffith as the ally of the English King, settled down to rebuild his demolished castle and town, then known as La Pole—hence Welshpool. And to restore the church English influence was doubtless brought to bear on his son, John de la Pole, to make him re-dedicate the church to the Virgin Mary, for, prior to the thirteenth century, very few churches in Wales were dedicated to St. Mary. The present church shows signs of having been built on an older site, and some of the old portions are built Into the later parts, and there are evidences of' thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth century worft in it. The tracery windows are like the fourteenth .century churches of Wrexham and Greford. So was the battlemented roof, now removed. The square tower, too, is similar. The chancel, the wide nave, and side aisles were probably later. The south porch is fourteenth centur.v. There were formerly two doors leading from this porch into the nave and into the south aisle, and there are still old folk living in Welshpool who remember seeing worshippers in their youth, genuflecting as they came in by the south inner door, evidently a survival of the custom in prePuritan days, when a figure of the Blessed Virgin and the Holy Child stood there. Two walls have been removed and the porch forms an extention of the aisle now. The fine roof of the chancel is fifteenth century work. There are still to be seen two sculptured heads above a doorway, supposed to represent Prince Griffith and his Consort, and the features ’to-day, after seven centuries, are quite discernible. A beautiful window behind the organ is thought to have been the east window of the first thirteenth century church. The south aisle, until the days of the Puritans, was the chapel of the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity. , So-called restorations have often worked havoc in beautiful old churches. In 1871 the old Sedilia was “restored” away. It was plain and pointed in character, with a chamfered edge. The Puritans have much to answer for; they also destroyed the two kneeling figures on the Elizabethan monument of Sir Edward Herbert and his wife, which still remains on the north wall of the sanctuary. They ’ burnt the organ and the figures of the Apostles and Saints from off the Rood Screen. They knocked off the top of the churchyard cross and turned an c-ld Druidical stone out of the church into the churchyard, but still their fanatical vandalism is not much worse than the destruction wrought in the eighteenth and nineteenth century on this grey old relic of the past, ! CWMRAEG. There are some who say the Welsh language is declining and will die. Yes, it is declining, but declining to die. More Welsh is spoken to-day than fifty years ago, though there may be few-er Welshmen who cannot speak English. There is more Welsh spoken in Canterburjr to-day than formerly, because more Welshmen come here. Those Welsh people speak the two languages, so Wales has a great advantage in education. Language stands at the root Of education, and the principles of language can be better acquired when one can compare and contrast two together. The knowledge of two or more languages must give an increased intelligence, and students can study the works of the greatest authors in other languages than their own. Two languages are better than one. George Borrow considered that the writings of Goronwy Owen and of Hugh Morris alone were enough to repay anyone for the study of Welsh. If Welsh had been taught as German and French were, and developed as English was by the writings of Shakespeare, Welsh to-day ■would be thought to be the most perfect language on the face of the earth. The many friends of Mrs P. L. Davies will rejoice to hear that the salubrious air of the Cashmere Hills has done her a world of good, and she is very much better. Thursday, the 23rd, is the date of the social which is to celebrate the Prince of Wales’s'birthday. An exceptionally entertaining programme has been arranged and the president of the Cambrian Society hopes to see a large attendance at the Navy League Hall, which is so warm and cosy that no one need mind leaving their own fireside. Members’ friends are specially invited and if there are any Welsh people who are newcomers to the city it will be a good opportunity for them to make themselves known to the society. They are sure of a kindly welcome and we all know how much it means to find people who come from the same places. It is a bond of friendship at once. The next event is the literary evening on July 28, in the Y.M.C.A., and doubtless many instructive and interesting _ papers will be read. In the meantime preparations are going on apace for the Welsh fair or market in October. It is none too soon to be thinking about it. Time flies, and the long winter evenings is the time to make lYianv saleable things. Unity is strength and a few sewing bees could accomplish much. It is not suggested that elaborate or costly things should be made. A good plan, would be to invite a few' friends to bring some novelty which nimble fingers could easily copy, just pretty, useful things suitable for Christmas presents. At the Welsh bazaar held in the Art Gallery two years ago, the Phillipstown parish made £2OO. Real Welsh people should be successful. We are not aiming at so large a sum, but if a thing is worth doing it is worth doing well, and there are. several enthusiastic workers already doing all in their power to make the fair a success. The cooking competition in the capable hands of .Mrs Bowden is sure to be popular, and the exhibition of needlework and handcrafts will be a great attraction. The artists of the society, and there are. several, are quite willing to lend their pictures, and there will be quite an exhibition of oil-paintings, water-colours, etchings and pencil drawings. The stalls at w'hich cake's, sweets, toys, produce, flowers and plants, fancy articles etc., will be sold, will be arranged as far as possible in imitation of a small market in the towns and villages of

Wales. The attendants will wear the Welsh costume. Already many inquiries arc being- made, which shows that the general public is looking forward to our bur.