'Welsh Sistine' - rediscovering a hidden medieval masterpiece

* St Collen's glorious hammerbeam ceiling, known as the 'Welsh Sistine'.

Today marks the day in 1512 when Michelangelo completed and revealed his iconic ceiling in Rome's Sistine Chapel.

Yet, few realise that around the same time, a remarkable work of art was coming to life in Wales: the hammerbeam ceiling of St Collen’s Church in Llangollen. 

Known locally as “The Welsh Sistine,” this stunning ceiling showcases the skill and devotion of medieval Welsh craftsmen - a hidden marvel with intricate carvings and rich symbolism, rivalling Europe’s grandest masterpieces.

Father Lee Taylor, vicar of St. Collen’s, emphasises the ceiling’s importance: “St. Collen’s hammerbeam ceiling is a testament to the deep faith and artistic genius of our medieval ancestors. It’s not just a piece of history, it’s a powerful, living symbol of Welsh heritage, spirituality, and creativity.”

As the world celebrates the Sistine Chapel’s legacy, St Collen’s invites visitors to rediscover the beauty of Welsh artistry. 

Fr Lee adds: "This ceiling, a blend of devotion and craftsmanship, stands ready to inspire a new generation, inviting all to experience its grandeur. Come and experience The Welsh Sistine, a masterpiece of medieval Wales hidden in plain sight."

The St Collen's Genesis Project, which is guiding the re-ordering of the parish church, is currently raising money specifically to restore the ceiling and updates on the progress of this labour of love can be seen at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556155594262

Entries for next Llangollen Round Challenge open this Friday

* Entrants on a previous Llangollen Round Challenge.

There's now just a couple of days left before entries for the 5th Llangollen Round Challenge officially open this Friday, November 1.  

And organisers say they're hoping for a similar success story to the last Round when they had a healthy 50 entries on the opening day.

Judy Smith, who founded and runs the Challenge, said: "We have a few new ideas and we trust the event will be better than ever. Last time we had 50 in one day. Can we possibly beat that, for a start? Let's see."

The next Llangollen Round is scheduled for the weekend of May 31/June 1 2025.

Judy added: "For those who don’t know, the Challenge is a hill hike of 35miles, to be taken over either one or two days.  

"If you’re thinking about it, a very comprehensive account of the event will be on our website www.thellangollenround.info  

"We’re looking forward to seeing the entries rolling in on Friday. Who will be first?"

The often gruelling run/walk through the beautiful yet tough terrain of the hills surrounding the town was launched in 2012 by members of the Llangollen Ramblers group and is based roughly on the Alpine Walk Tour of Mont Blanc.

The amount raised for Cancer Research UK (CRUK) by the challenge has climbed steadily to almost £120,000 which has been boosted by government returns on charity donations.

In recognition of this massive cash support for CRUK and the involvement and commitment of around 100 volunteers who run the event the Round was selected for the Flame of Hope Award last year.

These national awards are CRUK's annual accolades to celebrate the achievements of its most outstanding and inspiring volunteers.   

Community Rhythms and Roots launches for Llangollen 2025

* A Sudanese group at this year's Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

Following a very successful pilot project in 2024, Llangollen International Eisteddfod is calling for diverse communities across Wales to take part in a special showcase for its 2025 festival.  

The Community Rhythms and Roots project, supported by Arts Council Wales, aims to explore the multicultural and multilingual nature of modern Wales and unlock the creative potential of communities living in Wales. 

The project reflects Llangollen International Eisteddfod’s rich heritage and is aligned to the organisation’s ambition of using the arts and culture to bring different communities together in a spirit of peace and friendship.  

Organisers are looking for diverse groups and communities based in Wales who wish to share their stories with Wales and the World, using music, dance and literature. 

The six successful applicants will showcase their performances at the Eisteddfod in 2025.  

Each group will be supported along their journey by professional artists who will provide each group with bespoke dance, music and literature training.

 

Working with external partners such as the National Dance Company of Wales, Literature Across Frontiers, other professional partners and freelance artists, all six groups will have access to expert support with their storytelling skills and ambitions and some financial assistance to help them showcase their productions at Llangollen in July 2025.

 

Project Director Garffild Lloyd Lewis said: “In 2024, our pilot project gave three groups from the Newport Chinese Community, the Cardiff Sudanese Community and a youth group from Wrexham the opportunity to perform at one of Wales’s most prestigious festivals.  

"This year, we have really stepped things up and we can’t wait to work with six groups from across multi-cultural Wales.  Every community has an amazing story to tell and we are delighted to be giving them the opportunity on one of the biggest stages in Wales.

 

“The project leaders will provide all the support and assistance that groups need – all we need is a creative idea from your group that will represent a multicultural, multilingual and diverse community in Wales.  

"All we want is a commitment to a timetable that will involve rehearsals from January 2025 onwards, a community performance in early summer and a showcase event staged at the Llangollen Eisteddfod on Wednesday the 9th of July, 2025.”

 

* Groups interested in this wonderful opportunity to represent their communities on a world stage, who are willing to experiment with different art forms, who want to perform in their own language and want to tell their unique story – and be supported and inspired by experts along the way can find out more at: 

https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/get-involved/community-rhythm-and-roots/

Cat Meade sends out a Halloween message to parents

Cat Meade, branch manager of Wingetts estate agents in Castle Street, has sent out the following message to parents in the area:

"Pop into our Wingetts Llangollen office with your little monsters for a Halloween Treat this week 🎃 We promise we are not that scary 👻 Treats whilst stock lasts." 

Parents ask for help as town's playgroup is about the close

* Llangollen Playgroup, housed in the youth club, is due to close on November 4.

Llangollen Playgroup is to close on November 4 and worried parents are asking their MP and MS to help with what they say is Llangollen’s insufficient childcare provision. 

The loss of the playgroup, which is based at the youth club on Willow Hill, comes just over a year after the closure of Llangollen Day Nursery in August last year.

One parent from the area, who doesn’t wish to be identified, has presented a full briefing about the situation to Clwyd East MP Becky Gittins and Clwyd South MS Ken Skates, hoping to enlist their support in finding alternative facilities for their children.

The parent says tells the two politicians: “Following the closure of Llangollen Day Nursery in August 2023 and the recent announcement of Llangollen Playgroup to close its doors as of 4th November 2024, I am writing to complain regarding the insufficient childcare provision for Llangollen town, the impact of which has not only had great adverse effects on my own family but to a great number of families in the area. I write on behalf of myself and those families.

“The Childcare Act 2006 Act places a duty on local authorities to ‘secure, provision of childcare that is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area to enable them to take up or remain in work’.

“Currently Denbighshire County Council are not delivering against their statutory duties.

 “Given that this issue has remained unresolved since Summer 2023 and Denbighshire CC representatives have failed to keep parents sufficiently updated as per requests or successfully acted to prevent failures in provisions I am seeking your support to act in the interests of your constituents.”

The parent says that when Llangollen Playgroup, based in the Youth Club on Willow Hill, announced its closure on October 16, effective from November 4, reasons cited included ‘no viable way of continuing in [the] current economic climate with all the changes that are being forced upon [them] both now and in the near future’.”

The parent explains that both their spouse and themselves have highly demanding jobs and that “this lack of support has a great impact on our ability to balance our responsibilities to both childcare and business,” adding: “When Llangollen Day Nursery closed we were left without childcare from 14:30hrs Mon-Fri and no childcare outside of term time.”

The parent gives numerous details of how others like them in Llangollen will be affected if the playgroup closes without the facilities it provides being replaced.

The parent who contacted them wants Mr Skates and Ms Gittins "to show dedication on working with Denbighshire CC to resolve these matters expediently, advocating on behalf of the families of Llangollen and surrounding areas, providing us consistent updates on progress.”

* A Denbighshire County Council spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, Denbighshire County Council are aware of Llangollen Playgroup's recent announcement to close, despite working closely with them over the last few months to try and extend their childcare provision in the area. 

"Council officers are now working with Llangollen Playgroup and other local childcare providers to explore all potential options to help resolve these issues. However, any alternative would be subject to CIW [Care Inspectorate Wales] registration timescales."

MP and MS remain 'positive' about the future of town's public toilets

* Becky Gittins MP and Ken Skates MS.

The Member of the Senedd and MP representing Llangollen say they remain positive the town’s public toilets will be kept open after a ‘constructive’ latest meeting. 

Ken Skates and Becky Gittins met representatives of Denbighshire County Council and Llangollen Town Council on Friday (October 25) and believe that all parties are on the same page regarding the future of the Market Street conveniences. 

Mrs Gittins said: “Everyone around the table was committed to keeping the toilets open and we’re working towards a solution which will achieve that. It was a really constructive meeting and I’m encouraged that we’re all working together.” 

Mr Skates added: “There is still work to be done, but we now have a timeline of what needs to be done and when and we will aim to hold regular progress meetings so everyone knows where we’re up to. Denbighshire Council wants to move quickly on this.” 

Both Mr Skates, MS for Clwyd South, and Clwyd East MP Mrs Gittins have been contacted by Llangollen residents and visitors to the town about the future of the toilets. They have held a number of meetings with senior figures at Denbighshire in recent weeks but were keen to sit down with the town council too. 

Mrs Gittins, who attended the public meeting in Llangollen Town Hall earlier this year, said: “As I’ve said before, the town council and councillors have an important role to play in helping to find a solution to this. I’m pleased they’ve added to the positive talks we’ve been having.” 

Denbighshire needs to find £10.4m of savings as part of its 2024/25 budget, and a proposal to review public toilets across the county was one of the potential savings identified. A public consultation was launched to allow residents, business owners and visitors to have their say. 

The county council has repeatedly reassured the community that no decisions have been made.

UB40 featuring Ali Campbell to headline at Llangollen Pavilion

Iconic British reggae band UB40 featuring Ali Campbell will bring their magic to Llangollen next summer when they headline Live at Llangollen Pavilion on Saturday June 28. 

Ali Campbell’s unmistakable voice has driven UB40 to achieve more than 70 million record sales and 51 UK chart hits. 

This highly-anticipated show marks his return to Llangollen, where he last performed as part of the prestigious International Eisteddfod in 2016. 

The band will be joined on the night by special guests Bitty McLean and Pato Banton.  

Tickets go on sale at 10am Friday from llangollen.net and www.ticketmaster.co.uk  

Ali Campbell, UB40s original lead singer, says his current touring ensemble still captures the true spirit of UB40 resonating with audiences everywhere.    

He said: “I think I’ve got the best reggae band in the world. They are all seasoned musicians, who have spent all their lives in professional bands, and I feel so confident with them."      

With a legacy spanning more than 45 years, fans can expect a night filled with timeless classics that is sure to be unforgettable.      

Special guest on the night will be British reggae singer and songwriter Bitty McLean. Bitty is renowned for his smooth voice and significant contributions to the genre during the 1990s, rising to fame with hit singles like It Keeps Rainin' and Standing on the Ground.    

Opening the show will be British reggae artist Pato Banton who has captivated audiences for more than three decades with his infectious energy and uplifting messages. He is best known for his 1994 number-one hit Baby Come Back, a dynamic collaboration with UB40.   

The announcement is the latest reveal for summer 2025 which will also see Rag’n’Bone Man, Olly Murs, Texas and The Script headline the iconic Welsh venue with more announcements to come.  

The headline concerts are presented in a partnership between Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor and the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. 

Cuffe and Taylor co-founder Peter Taylor said: "We're absolutely delighted to announce that UB40 featuring Ali Campbell will be headlining Live at Llangollen Pavilion next summer. Their unique sound and infectious energy have captivated audiences for decades, and we’re excited to bring that reggae magic to North Wales.” 

Artistic Director of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod Dave Danford added:“UB40 featuring Ali Campbell were last here in 2016, and brought the house down. We’re so pleased that they’ll be back in Llangollen next summer, alongside two brilliant special guests.” 

* For more information and to purchase tickets go to llangollen.netand www.ticketmaster.co.uk 

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