Prince of Wales award for St Grwst’s £1m restoration project

The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund has awarded St Grwst’s Church in Llanrwst a grant for its £1million redevelopment project.

In addition, the Prince of Wales along with the trustees of the foundation have sent their best wishes for the project.

The prestigious award comes as a new business development officer for the church started work this month.  Jon Richmond from Dolwyddelan was appointed to support and coordinate the work of volunteers and oversee the delivery of the church’s activity plan.

Building work started on the redevelopment of St Grwst’s in the summer after the medieval church was awarded more than £700,000 by the National Lottery, alongside other financial contributions.

The grant application secretary, Olwen John, said: “We were delighted to receive an award from The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund.  His Royal Highness has an interest in this area and visited Llanrwst recently.

“The support of his foundation will help us reach our target of £1million to complete the project.

“We also welcome Jon Richmond to the team to develop a programme of activities and events to transform the church into a community hub at the centre of the town and local community.”

Over the summer, St Grwst’s was closed for all services and all public access and services have been relocated to Church House on Watling Street. Funerals are taking place at either Seion, Llanrwst or St Mary’s Church, Betws y Coed according to family preference.

The church is scheduled to re-open next spring offering flexible and welcoming space for both the community and visitors and new disabled access.  The 17th century Gwydir Chapel, which is built on the side of the ancient church and houses the coffin of Llywelyn the Great, will have been fully restored and series of interpretation panels developed to highlight the building’s historical significance.

St Grwst was built originally in 1170 and is reported to be the only known church dedicated to the saint. After being partially destroyed during Owain Glyndwr’s uprising in the 1400s it was fully demolished during the War of the Roses in 1468. The current building was constructed in 1470, with further alterations and additions made over the following centuries.

St Grwst is one of 216 churches in the Diocese of St Asaph, one of the six dioceses in the Church in Wales, an independent Province of the Anglican Communion. St Grwst is part of the Aberconwy Mission Area which links churches along the Conwy Valley and Llandudno Junction.