Cadfan's Church

Book excerpt: St Cadfan's Church, Tywyn, is said to be "as remarkable a church as any in Wales, despite the ravages of time" (Buildings of Wales: Gwynedd). Its unadorned Romanesque arches, and the Cadfan Stone on which is carved the oldest known written Welsh, draw visitors from all over the world. But what link does the church have with Edward I, or Henry VIII, or John Milton? Why was the richest church in Merioneth reduced to begging for money? How and why has the church changed in appearance over the centuries? These and many more questions are answered in this book which traces the history of St Cadfan's Church for 1500 years. Modern and 19th century photographs, together with computer simulations, help to see changes which have occurred. The book also considers some aspects of life in the town of Tywyn and the wider church as they have affected St Cadfan's Church.