History

By the beginning of the 20th century there were a few Catholics in the area, but these had to travel to Bridgend or Barry for Mass until 1919 when the Church of St.Vincent de Paul was opened at Rhoose.

Not until May 1921 was the first official open Mass since the 16th century celebrated in Llantwit Major. It was made possible because Ham House was bought from the Nicholl family in 1921 by the Catholic, Lewis Turnbull. This Mass was celebrated at Ham House by Fr.Turnbull for a congregation of 47 people. Mass continued to be said at “The Ham” fairly regularly until 1931 when Mr.Lewis Turnbull died, and the last Mass there was his Requiem celebrated by his son with a congregation of 52.

Whenever there was a priest to say Mass the 20 to 30 Catholics from the Cowbridge area hired a bus to take them to Llantwit Major. However, in 1925 a regular bus service was established between Cowbridge and Bridgend, so Cowbridge Catholics were then able to travel to Bridgend for Mass.

When Mrs.Clare McConville arrived in Cowbridge in 1939 there were only five Catholics apart from the Williams family of Verlands. Mass was celebrated in the Blue Bell Inn (now Nisa supermarket) once a month by Fr.Meyrick from Bridgend. It was the owners of the Blue Bell Inn who gave the Stations of the Cross that now hang in the Church. Confessions were also held once month at Mr.Ryan’s who ran the saddlers’ shop (now “Lois” – a fashion shop).

For Llantwit Major the situation was improved with the opening of RAF St.Athan so that Catholics were able to attend Mass on camp. With petrol rationing this became very difficult, so Mr.Gerald Turnbull approached Canon Quigley of Barry who discussed the matter with the Archbishop.

As a consequence, from 1941 to 1948 a priest came each Sunday from Bridgend to say Mass in the Institute beneath the Town Hall. In the first two years this was Fr.Andrew Gibbons O.S.B., followed by Fr.J.Hennessey to 1945, and then Fr.G.Daniels. During the same period, Cowbridge only had Mass twice a year, on Easter Monday and St.Stephen’s Day.

However, by the end of 1948 the number of Catholics in Bridgend had increased so much that it became impossible to serve Llantwit Major Parish. The Parish was served from Barry first by Fr.W.Long, then Fr.P.Murphy, until 1950 when Archbishop McGrath appointed Fr.J.Magner to be the first Parish Priest of Llantwit Major, Cowbridge and Rhoose.

Mr. Gerald Turnbull gave about one acre of land in Ham Lane East to the Catholic Church, and on this was erected a small corrugated iron building, that had already seen sixty years’ use in Herefordshire, to act as a temporary church. Fr. Magner celebrated the first Mass in the parish’s own church in November 1950.

He lived in a caravan beside the church and travelled around by bike, first a pushbike and then his mother bought him a motorbike. He would carry his vestments with him in a haversack.

It was Fr. Magner who requested that Mass in Cowbridge be celebrated at The Bear Hotel, run by Mr. John Williams. Mr.& Mrs. Peter Sheppard came to Cowbridge in 1953 and Confessions were held every Saturday morning at their home, West House, where the First Friday Masses were celebrated.

Mass was also celebrated in the YMCA building. Meanwhile the town of Cowbridge was growing and an increasing number of Catholics came to live in the town. It was during this period of growth that Fr. Magner was succeeded in 1953 by Fr. H.B. Morris, and he remained until 1962.

The Williams family had previously lived in Bonvilston. Counting the present generation they can trace back at last four generations of Catholics.

Mrs. R. Williams was a Catholic, followed by her son Mr. L.G. Williams, the father of Mr. L.E.W. Williams who moved to Verlands Cowbridge in 1933. Mr. L.E. Williams donated some of his land, in front of the house, for the building of a Catholic Church in Cowbridge. He was anxious that the Church be built in a traditional style and his wishes were followed.

Building started in 1955. The architect was Mr. Tom Price of Messrs. F.R. Bates, Son and Price of Newport, and the builder was Robert Thomas of Cowbridge. The floor was laid by Mr. Sheppard’s firm, Horsley Smith of London. The new altar was given by Heathfield House School, Cardiff, run by the Sisters of Divine Providence (Rosminian).

Following the completion of the Church, it was dedicated by Archbishop McGrath in January 1956. He was accompanied by his secretary Canon (then Father) William Morris, cousin to the Parish Priest.

Canon Morris came to live in the Parish on his retirement and remained until his death in 1991.

The parishioners were waiting anxiously to know to whom the Archbishop was going to dedicate the Church. Having announced the name “St. Cadoc”, the Archbishop then spoke of the life of St. Cadoc and how he was a pioneer of Christianity in the Vale of Glamorgan. His Grace made the comparison with Fr. Magner who had become the first Parish Priest in Cowbridge and LLantwit Major since the Reformation. Following the service, there was a luncheon at Verlands, the Williams family home.

Initially the altar was positioned against the east end, when Mass was celebrated by the priest with his back to the people. A canopy was suspended over the altar and both altar and canopy were draped with burgundy red brocade hangings, brought back from Northern Ireland by Fr. Morris. After Vatican II, the high altar was removed and the altar table moved from the wall to the centre of the sanctuary. The tabernacle remained positioned on the east wall to the south of the altar.

The top of the canopy was only removed when the present renovation work started. The statues of the Sacred Heart (given by Mr. and Mrs. Muir) and Our Lady ( given by Mrs. Kathleen Hinde) remained on plinths facing the people each side of the sanctuary arch.

Meanwhile in Llantwit Major, a presbytery was built beside the church, and in 1962 Fr. Morris was succeeded by Fr. Driscoll. The town had been growing rapidly with the addition of many new housing estates, and by then there were too many Catholics living in the area to be accommodated in the small church.

In December 1963 Archbishop John Murphy was approached for permission and financial assistance to build a new church. He had already consented to the building of a new church at Rhoose, and work on that began in July 1964. In September of the same year, Rhoose was separated from Llantwit Major and Cowbridge, to become affiliated to the new Colcot parish, Barry.

That same month work started on the new church at Llantwit Major, which was completed by July 1965. The architect was the same Mr. T .G. Price of Bates, Son and Price of Newport who had designed Cowbridge church, but the builder was Mr. C. Williams of Newport. The design of the church was intended to take account of weather conditions, a low building being more feasible in view of the winter gales.

The main altar stone was taken from the ruined Ham House, so maintaining the link between the new church and Llantwit Major’s first post-Reformation Mass celebrated at “The Ham” by Fr. Turnbull some 44 years before.

In November 2007 the new Parish Centre was officially opened and blessed by Archbishop Peter Smith. The Parish Ladies Guild funded all the kitchen equipment and blinds for the windows. The Parish Centre was used for children’s catechesis and Parish social and fundraising events. In 2011, once again the Ladies Guild, funded a projector for Parish use. At the end of 2015, thanks to a Legacy of £40,000 and the hard-work and generosity of the Parish Family, the repayments to the Archdiocesan deposit account were achieved and the loan for building the Parish centre was completed.

When the church was complete, Archbishop Murphy was in Rome at the Second Vatican Council so unable to officially bless and open the new church. He gave permission for the first Mass to be celebrated, on the Feast of the Assumption in 1965 by Fr. Driscoll. The official blessing and opening took place on 22nd March 1966.

The parish continued to grow, and a Conference of St. Vincent de Paul, the oldest surviving parish organisation was instituted in the late ’60’s. Fr. Driscoll was replaced in 1968 by Fr. Francis Murphy who remained until November 1974 when Fr. Roger McDonagh arrived. By then the number of Catholics in the Llantwit area had grown to over 200.

During these years, the Catholic population of Cowbridge grew steadily and by 1975 there were approximately 155-160 Catholics attending Mass at St. Cadoc’s coming not only from Cowbridge but the surrounding villages, extending as far east as Bonvilston, as far north as Ystradowen and as far west as Treoes.

Mass was celebrated every Sunday morning, each Holy Day of Obligation, and every Thursday morning. Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals were held; and First Confessions and First Communions took place in St. Cadoc’s, although for Confirmation the children combined with those of Llantwit Major and received the Sacrament of Confirmation in Our Lady and St. Illtyd. When Father Dewi Davies arrived as Parish Priest in 1986, he added an evening Mass on Tuesday in addition to the Thursday morning Mass.

Previously the Good Friday Liturgy and Easter Vigil had alternated with Our Lady and St. Illtyd, but Fr. Davies introduced the Good Friday Liturgy and Easter Vigil as permanent celebrations. He also added the Stations of the Cross as a Lenten devotion on Tuesday evenings before Mass. In Llantwit Major, Fr. Davies varied the times of Mass, providing an evening Mass on Fridays, preceded by Stations of the Cross in Lent.

From 1986 on, the parish grew not only in numbers but in activities. A Parish Council, established by Fr. McDonagh in 1985, set about improving the social side of parish life, as well as fund raising. A CAFOD support group was formed, and a branch of the Catholic Ladies Guild instituted, which later evolved into the Parish Ladies Guild. A choir was formed in Llantwit and both churches benefited from the acquisition of new hymn books. Scripture groups, discussion groups, adult instruction groups all fed the spiritual life of the parish. Piety and book stalls have been established in both churches.

A special development had been the transfer of the only regular Sunday Mass in Welsh in the Archdiocese from The Cathedral to St. Cadoc’s. Welsh-speaking Catholics travelled long distances to Cowbridge each Sunday. Celebrants were the former Canon Regan, now Bishop of Wrexham, and Fr. Dewi Davies, who had been coming to Cowbridge for the Welsh Mass for many years before he was appointed our Parish Priest. Bishop Mullins came for special occasions, notably Confirmations and St. David’s Day Mass. The Sunday Masses in Welsh continued until 1990, and the last regular Welsh Mass was celebrated on 25th February.

During the 1980’s, the growth in Mass attendance resulted in St. Cadoc’s becoming increasingly over-crowded. It became normal to have people standing for Mass because all the seating was taken, and on special feasts, Easter Sunday in particular, the crowds were so great that a procession was impossible, and there would be Mass attendees crowded in to the Sacristy and standing outside.

The enlargement of the Church became a priority, and in 1987 permission was sought from the Archdiocese for an extension. Plans were finally approved in July 1990. As described in a bulletin to the Church Council, the extension would enable “an extra 60 to 100 people to be seated at Mass. The plan also provides flexible accommodation for an occasional meeting room together with additional toilet facilities, a kitchen and a confessional.

Apart from ensuring that no one will need to stand at the Sunday morning Mass, the extension will provide much needed accommodation for catechism classes, CAFOD, CWL and the many other activities which are so important in any parish but particularly one which is as active as ours.”

The project manager was Chris Stevens of Stevens, Flood and Wilson, Cardiff, and the architects were Stephen George Architects of Merthyr Tydfil, the builders being Twyn Construction of Newport. Work commenced in October 1990, and it was not long before the walls of the extension began to rise and by Easter 1991 the facade appeared almost complete. Meanwhile, the parish undertook the financing of the extension, by organising many, many fundraising events. By July 1998, in a relatively short time, the debt of £140,000 had finally been paid off. The extension, made to the west end, involved the removal of the large, clear glass three light Gothic style west window.

The extension, made to the west end, involved the removal of the large, clear glass three light Gothic style west window. This has re-appeared at the new west-end, but now with stained glass. A beautiful design incorporating St. Cadoc and themes from his life was designed and executed by Michael Lassen, a Bristol-based artist whose studio at one time was based at the aptly named Worship Farm.. Ian Hayden, a local parishioner, undertook the considerable task of modifying the existing over-large altar to one more appropriate to its setting, and also constructed the additional pews needed for the extension.

The tradition of celebrating Mass and the Sacraments, and the prayerful atmosphere of the original church have been enhanced by the extension, and the need for extra space was a witness to the vibrancy and growth of the Catholic faith in Cowbridge. With the work complete, Emeritus Archbishop John Aloysius Ward dedicated the extended church and celebrated Mass there in December 1992.

The extra space gave more scope for the children’s religious classes and the display of their work. A pre-Communion class was begun in St. Cadoc in May 1997, in addition to the existing First Communion classes. The in September 2000 the classes from both churches were amalgamated into one Parish group for the stages: pre-Communion, First Holy Communion, and post First Communion, all taking place at St. Cadoc. Confirmation continued alternating between the two churches.

More organisations developed. A Pastoral Advisory Council was established and they set up a Communications Committee, which produces the Parish Magazine and has set up this website, and an Administration Committee, responsible for maintenance of the fabric of the parish buildings, fund-raising and major new developments. A Finance Committee oversees the Parish budget and accounts.

Both churches benefited from fund raising by the Parish Ladies Guild, first to supply new robes for all the altar servers of both churches, later to provide a p.a. and loop system for Llantwit church. The attractive wrought-iron votive candle holders placed below the statues of Our Lady and the Sacred Heart were commissioned by the Ladies Guild and made by Theo Grunwald of Llanharan in 1997. He had previously designed the flower stands for Our Lady and St. Illtyd, given in memoriam. A new tabernacle and new altar missals and lectionaries have been made possible by bequests.

In November 1997, Fr. Dewi Davies was moved to St. Illtyd’s, Dowlais and was replaced by Fr. Pierce Maher, who came from St. Helen’s, Barry. Since then, more changes and additions have enhanced both churches.

Further developments in the Parish have included the provision of children’s liturgy for the Saturday / Sunday Masses in Our Lady & St. Illtyd and St. Cadoc. There are more inclusive rotas for Eucharistic ministers, readers, and Offertory processions, and twice yearly a Mass and tea for senior parishioners organised by the S.V.P. and Ladies Guild. Work has continued in improving the facilities of the Parish: the Presbytery has been re-furbished, a p.a. system installed in St. Cadoc’s, and the Ladies Guild organised and paid for the restoration of the Grotto at Our Lady & St. Illtyd. In addition the whole area at the back of the Church was cleared and the fencing replaced. This has now been replanted with shrubs sponsored by parishioners in memory of loved one.

At St. Cadoc in 1999, a driver crashed his vehicle into the wall below the lawn, which collapsed. This precipitated a careful look at the safety of the lawn where the children played after Mass, where there was now nothing to protect them from falling onto the road. Eventually the whole area was tied up, a new retaining wall was built, and Howell Adams at Cross Farm designed and made the railings which are now an attractive feature of the church grounds.

A new Italian made electronic Viscount Jubilate organ was bought for St. Cadoc and put in place in April 2000, made possible by a generous donation from the Ladies Guild, who also donated a processional cross for St. Cadoc, Our Lady and St. Illtyd having possessed one for many years.

To mark the Millennium, after consultation with the parish, a sacristy bell was installed in both churches, and new kneelers and stools were made for the altar servers of both churches by a parishioner, John f J & A Woodwork. The Bereavement Group introduced a Memorial Book in each church and anniversaries are now recorded weekly on the newsletter. Road signs to the Catholic Church were erected in both Llantwit Major and Cowbridge.

In 2002, an ecumenical, monthly Mothers’ Prayer Group was begun at St. Cadoc, which has also become the meeting place of Churches Together in Cowbridge. Our Lady and St. Illtyd has the benefit of attendance of students studying at Atlantic College, St. Donat’s and once a year they organise the liturgy for an International Mass as well as participating in the liturgy of Youth Sunday.

A major change came in the parish with the re-organisation of Mass times for the Deanery, with a resultant reduction in the number of Masses due to the shortage of priests. From the First Sunday of Advent 2003, St. Cadoc lost its Sunday morning Mass, to be replaced by 5.30 p.m. on Saturday, and Our Lady & St. Illtyd lost its Sunday evening Mass. This resulted in a sharp decline in Mass attendance (about 20%) but over the last two years Mass attendance has begun to increase again.

The Golden Jubilee of St. Cadoc was celebrated on 29th January 2006, with a concelebrated Mass at which the Archbishop of Cardiff presided, followed by a luncheon in Cowbridge. Fr. Maher ordered new altar and lectern frontals for each of the church’s seasons and these came into use on the 50th Anniversary. These were made by a firm originally based in Canada, which the parish had first employed through Father Davies who introduced the purple Lenten and Advent frontals in Our Lady and St. Illtyd, to which Fr. Maher added the red and green.

The next major project in hand is raising money to build a parish centre for Our Lady & St. Illtyd, which desperately needs somewhere for the many organisations to meet, to hold their events, and to provide a larger area for Children’s Liturgy, and also so that coffee can be served after Mass. Permission has been received from the Archdiocese to go ahead, planning permission has been obtained and it is hoped that the new parish centre will be completed in 2007. This will be build on the lawn side of the church, and will also involve alterations to the church, including providing an new area for the piety stall and enclosing the front porch, which should greatly enhance the overall appearance of the church.