Historic Welsh church to get first royal visitor in 600 years

Ewenny Priory Church will be welcoming the Prince of Wales through its doors this Friday.

The church is a thriving centre of Christian worship in the Vale of Glamorgan and the most complete Norman church in south Wales.

Prince Charles will be paying a visit on Friday, the first royal visitor to the church in more than 600 years.

The last was King Henry IV, who stayed at the former Benedictine priory in 1405.

The church was built in 1126 and the nave is still used for worship today.

Another famous visitor was the artist JPW Turner who painted a watercolour of the transept of the church in 1795.

Prince Charles will be shown around the church by the Archdeacon of Margam and priest-in-charge of Ewenny, Philip Morris.

He will also meet several parishioners, including members of the Jenkins family, who have been making the internationally-famous Ewenny Pottery for eight generations.

Ewenny Pottery is the oldest family working pottery in Wales and some of its creations are in the Welsh home of the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

Prince Charles will be presented with a traditional Ewenny Pottery wassail bowl during his visit to the church.

Dr Eurof Evans, chairman of the Ewenny Priory Church Preservation Trust, will show Prince Charles around the restored priory section of the church, which is in the care of Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service.

Carols will be sung by children from the choir of St Brides Major Church in Wales Primary School, led by their headteacher, Mrs Claire Matthews.

Archdeacon Morris said, "The congregation is delighted that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is making a special visit to Ewenny Priory Church.

"Ewenny Priory is one of the hidden treasures of Wales, a remarkable example of Norman architecture and very much a living church today."

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