Church is revamped

● St. Mary and St Egryn’s Church in Llanegryn, near Tywyn (Meirionnydd) gave thanks last Saturday, for some much needed repairs to the walls of this ancient Christian site. The church also showed people for the first time the results of a project which will soon enable people all over Wales and the world to appreciate this ancient place of worship. St. Egryn’s is a Grade 1 listed building, which has an important medieval rood screen and barrel-vaulted ceiling. It is said the rood screen came from Cymer Abbey, near Dolgellau, at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536. Recent repairs have almost been completed to the churchyard wall. In addition the outside and inside of the church building have been painstakingly photographed and then modelled to give 3D images of the church building, which will soon be available to the public on the internet. The Rev’d Janet Fletcher, Associate Priest in the Bro Ystumanner Ministry Area, said “We know that there has been a church on this site since 1253, and parts of the building in which we worship today were built over 750 years ago. Repairing the ancient boundary wall and having the 3D images are the means by which this present generation can ensure that this building can look forward to the next 750 years.” The imaging work was undertaken by Adam Stanford of Aerial-Cam Photography and Catherine Rees of C.R. Archaeology, and 3D models of the interior and exterior of the church will soon be available online for all to explore. The rood screen is one of the finest examples in Wales and the detailed model will allow the skills of the craftsmen to be appreciated remotely – a wonderful new tool for academics and those with an interest in church architecture.