Welsh churches to open doors on rich ecclesiastical heritage

Welsh churches will open their doors this September to share Wales' rich ecclesiastical heritage with the public.

More than 150 churches are signed up to take part in Open Churches Day on September 6, offering guided tours, exhibitions, children's activities and special services.

In Pontypool, members of the public are being invited to join a guided tour of a 'Living Churchyards' conservation project, part of the wider 'Living Churchyards and Cemeteries' scheme set up to encourage the whole community to care for its local churchyards.

Many of the participating churches open their doors to visitors all year round but the Open Churches Day will be special in highlighting missed or overlooked treasures giving visitors the opportunity to look at important social documents, like baptism and marriage registers.

The Dean of St Davids, the Very Rev Wyn Evans, is encouraging people to make the most of the opportunity to visit Wales' many historic churches.

"Our Churches are gifts to be shared with the many. What witness to God does an almost permanently padlocked building give to those who wish to visit it?" he said.

"It may not be feasible to have all our churches open most of the time but it is possible for most of them to be open some of the time. Open Churches Day provides us with a particular occasion for this to happen.

"The Visitors Book is a reminder that an open church is greatly valued by all sorts of visitors for a wide variety of reasons," he added.

The Churches Open Day initiative is now in its third year.

Jonathan Jones, Director, Tourism and Marketing, Welsh Assembly Government said, "Churches are not just places of spirituality, they tell the story of our communities through the ages.

"The magnificent cathedrals, the non-conformist chapel, the small rural church are all "stories set in stone" which tell us who we are and where we come from.

"I am delighted the churches are using September 6th to draw attention to the wonderful Welsh ecclesiastical heritage."

On the web: www.ctnw.co.uk