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Jam and Jerusalem
Click here for the brochure with the map and addresses
Take a jam journey through our Ministry Area; discover our Churches and things to do when you're there
Thanks to the patronage of the Talbot family of Margam. St Theodore’s church was opened in 1889, to serve the growing mining village of Kenfig Hill. Designed by the Llandaff Diocesan architect, George E. Halliday and built by Robert Haines of Cardiff for £850. The church built in the Lancet style with native stone and Bath Stone dressings was extended in 1908 with the addition of a south aisle. A William Hill of London organ was installed in 1909.
Grade 1 listed St James’ Church, Pyle, traditionally served the parish of Pyle and Kenfig. A church of the same name served the mediaeval borough of Kenfig, established by the Normans in the 12th century. Whatever is left now lies under a sea of sand that destroyed the town in the mid-fifteenth century. The present St James was built in 1471. Included at Grade I as a small but well-preserved Glamorgan parish church which is still largely of medieval form and fabric, and with a very fine dated medieval roof.
All Saints church is located in the centre of Porthcawl. The church was built in 1912-14 to designs of architect G.E.Halliday of Cardiff for the developing new town, and replaced an iron church of 1899-1912. Built in Late Gothic, Perpendicular, style the church comprises continuous nave and chancel, five-bay north and south aisles, and north and south porches; the north-east Lady Chapel and choir vestry was added in the 1960s to replace a lean-to. Grade 2 listed, primarily for the special interest of its interior including its fittings, particularly the stained-glass E window, of Christ in Majesty in brilliant colours dated 1927 by Karl Parsons, regarded as his best work.
St John The Baptist Church, Newton (Porthcawl), was founded in the later twelfth century and is mentioned in 1189. It was largely rebuilt in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century, although some earlier features remain. It was altered and the vestry added in 1826-7 and the first of several restorations was undertaken in 1860-61. A meeting room and vestry were added in 1993. Listed grade I as an important medieval church, not heavily restored, with much surviving medieval fabric and an especially rare medieval carved stone pulpit.
Robert of Gloucester, Earl of Glamorgan, granted lands for the foundation of a Cistercian Abbey at Margam in 1147. This replaced an earlier religious foundation in the area, represented by a large collection of early Christian stones housed in a museum in a corner of the graveyard. Most of the nave of the C12 abbey church survives and is now a parochial church. Listed grade I as the surviving nave of a major Cistercian Abbey, restored in the C19. The later additions and fittings are of historic interest for their association with the Mansel and Talbot families of Margam Park, the Renaissance tombs being of particular interest.
St Mary’s, Trecco, was consecrated in the summer of 1964. Built on land owned by Sir Lesley Joseph to serve, what has now become the largest caravan park in Europe. It is believed, that the A-frame shape of the Church was inspired by the original tent used as a makeshift place of worship in the early days of camping at Trecco Bay.
The church is of C13 origin, reputed to have been built between 1245 and 1265, and restored in 1878 by John Pritchard at the cost of £500, and the chancel rebuilt in 1891-4 by Waller & Son of Gloucester. It was a chapelry to the first St James' church Kenfig, which is now under the sand. Listed as Grade II* as a building of substantially medieval fabric with an unusual early W porch, and a remarkable font. The font is Norman, a handsome limestone tub decorated with 5 rows of scallops, and a rope moulding around the lip, said to have been brought from the early Church of St James.
Being an ancient village, it is likely that Nottage had a church building in medieval times. However, no trace of that building remains. It was not until after the second world war that a church was built in Nottage. In 1948 a generous gift of land by Mr. John Blundell enabled a small wooden structure to be erected. The building was purchased from a RAF camp that was being closed down following the end of the war. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Llandaff on the 24th March 1948 and served the village well as the church until its demolition in January 1992. The present Church was consecrated on 15th November 1992.
Margam Calling is a modern style worship service which takes place in St Theodore's Church every other Sunday. It starts at 5:30pm with informal coffee and doughnuts with the service starting at 6pm, then there is fellowship and pizza after the service.
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