Welsh Journals

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Penmaen Church, 2004. Penmaen Church In 1847 Penmaen Church underwent 'churchwardenised' repairs to remedy the serious condition of the west end of the church. They did this by raising a parish rate of £ 1 18 and collecting public subscriptions of £ 105, totalling £ 223, a considerable sum at that time.13 However, this work failed to arrest the deterioration of the structure. Freeman criticised the 'restoration' of Penmaen church in 1847. He wrote "Penmain Church is so utterly modernized as to have lost all distinctively ancient character, being the only one in Gower so circumstanced." And again he said "but quite recently Penmain Church has been utterly ruined. 1114 The Reverend Edward Knight James was instituted to the living of Penmaen on 31st May 1850.15 Soon after his appointment he began to explore means of raising sufficient funds to restore and enlarge St. John the Baptist's Church. On 5th September 1853 James wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Incorporated Church Building Society in London which is worth quoting in full as it gives a clear picture of his intentions regarding the restoration and enlargement of his church. H.E.G.