Next Friday marks the triumphant completion of the First Phase of sponsored conservation work in St Cadoc’s Church, Llancarfan, which has now revealed scary new additions to the celebrated, recently-discovered 15th century wall paintings.
The three-year project, a major conservational undertaking, has painstakingly discovered one of the largest, most spectacular George & the Dragon tableaux
in the UK. This autumn, conservators also substantially uncovered five grim and hair-raising Deadly Sins (Greed, Avarice, Lust, Sloth, & Pride), peeking from the church walls to warn previous Vale generations of the fearful consequences of falling prey to their allures.
Tantalisingly, two of the sins still remain hidden beneath the (estimated) twenty-seven layers of limewash which has, for more than 460 years, masked this impressive scheme.
Priest in Charge of Llancarfan, the Venerable Peggy Jackson says “We hope and trust that we shall be able to reveal the two additional sins as part of a second phase of restoration, for which funding is now being sought. This phase would also include architectural work and conservation of the Chancel’s remarkable reredos screen.”
Chair of the Conservation Committee, Sam Smith, adds: “Even before this summer’s new revelations, St Cadoc’s has welcomed a stream of visitors, eager to see the wall paintings emerge. Our extraordinary 15th century original offers a wonderful counterpoint to the major reconstructed paintings in the nearby St Teilo’s Church at the Museum of Welsh History, St Fagans. The Vale is rapidly becoming a fascinating destination for history and art enthusiasts.”
Meanwhile, a reception party is being held in the church, on Friday 25th November, to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of the last three years. “We want,” says the Ven Peggy Jackson, “to thank most heartily all those involved, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Cadw, the Waterloo Foundation, many trusts, charities, companies, the local community – and, of course, the conservators, Jane Rutherfoord and Ann Ballantyne, who have often laboured in challenging, sub-zero conditions.”
As the village and Vale gather to celebrate, two guests still remain unbidden to the party: Anger and Envy lurk hidden behind the limewash, awaiting their turn to menace (or entice) the congregation of LLancarfan for the first time since 1547. Their tempers, one imagines, will not be improved by exclusion from Friday’s fun.
