Search on for best church in Wales

The National Churches Trust, the UK’s church building support charity, has launched Sacred Wales (Cymru Sanctaidd), a search for Wales’ favourite church or chapel.

Out of 4,500 churches and chapels, many of historical importance or of notable location, four Catholic churches have made the shortlist of 50, which people can vote for online until 31 August.

Our Lady Star of the Sea in Amlwch, Anglesey, a “rare and unique church” built in the 1930s in the shape of an upturned boat, is competing against St Winefride in Holywell, Flintshire, whose sixteenth-century Gothic building is said to be the oldest continual pilgrimage site in Britain.

Also in the running is the modern St David in Maesglas, Newport, where each brick behind the altar has the name of a pupil at St David’s school who paid for it, and the Victorian neo-Gothic church St David in Pantasaph, Flintshire, where architect Augustus Pugin designed the high altar, font, Lady Chapel reredos and a statue of the Madonna.

The Supporting Places of Worship in Wales Survey 2017, a new report from the National Churches Trust published this month, found there was a severe shortage of volunteers to look after church buildings, with 50 per cent of churches saying they are not attracting new volunteers due to dwindling congregations and a lack of young people.

Fundraising skills were also noted to be in short supply, despite 60 per cent of churches and chapels needing funding from external sources to pay for repair and maintenance projects.

Speaking at the launch of Sacred Wales in Cardiff, hosted by the Archbishop of Cardiff, George Stack, BBC broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards urged people to “celebrate” and “keep alive” the “religious heritage of Wales”.

The winning church or chapel will be announced on 28 September and will receive a Sacred Wales trophy and cheque for £500.