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Weather-cock gets all cleaned up

 
16/08/2011 @ 12:55
Parishioners in the hamlet of Llanwyddelan, near Newtown are cock-a-hoop after seeing an antique weather vane refurbished and restored to its perch on top of a church.
 
The weather-cock, which was prevented from rotating in the wind by rust, was removed by builder Gareth Jones of Adfa during work to repair the roof of St Gwyddelan’s Church tower.
 
Former churchwarden Mervyn Foulkes then set about giving the weather beaten copper cockerel a welcome facelift, which revealed a local secret.
 
“There were two or three bullet holes in the cockerel, which was apparently used as target practice by members of the local home guard during the Second World War. Also lead pellet indentations were found on the poor old cockerel;” said Mr Foulkes.
 
“It appears that builder Gareth Jones came to the rescue just in time as the cockerel was in a very precarious state and could have fallen at any time.”
 
Having carried out the repairs, Mervyn and his wife, Beryl, the church treasurer, then added a few coats of paint to the cockerel, which was blessed by vicar, the Rev Terrence Bryan, on Sunday and returned to his home on top of the church tower.
 
No-one seems to know how old the cockerel is but the single-chamber church was rebuilt in 1865.  Only the medieval font and part of the screen from the original place of worship have been retained in the church, which is in the Church in Wales Diocese of St Asaph. An early medieval stone of around the ninth century is built into an outside buttress.
 
The church stands proudly above a churchyard, which is maintained by Ray and Joyce Gethin, whose work has attracted many positive comments from parishioners and passing motorists this summer.
 
Picture caption:
 
Pictured with the weathercock are (from left) Mervyn Foulkes, churchwarden Mrs Awel Davies, the Rev Terrence Bryan, churchwarden Delyth Headley and Len Gethin with St Gwyddelan’s Church in the background.