View source for St Peter ad Vincula, Pennal

{{Short description|Church in Gwynedd, Wales}}
{{for|other churches of this dedication|St Peter ad Vincula (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox church
| name             = Church of St Peter ad Vincula
| fullname         =
| image            = Eglwys Pennal (crop).jpg
| imagesize        =
| caption          =
| coordinates      = {{Coord|52.58566|N|3.9205|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| denomination     = [[Church in Wales]]
| parish           = [[Pennal]]
| deanery                = Cyfeiliog and Mawddwy
| archdeaconry           = Meirionnydd
| archdiocese            =
| episcopalarea          =
| diocese          = [[Bishop of Bangor|Diocese of Bangor]]
| province               = Wales
| presbytery             =
| synod                  =
| founded date     = 6th century
| founder          =
| dedication       = [[Liberation of Saint Peter|Saint Peter in Chains]]
| architect        =
| style            =
| years built = rebuilt 1700, 1761, 1810 and 1873
| dedicated date   =
| rector           =
| vicar            =
| location          = [[Pennal]], [[Gwynedd]], Wales.
| country          = [[United Kingdom]]
| website          = [http://www.hearthstone.co.uk/Glyn/ www.hearthstone.co.uk]<br />[http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/bangor/diocese/parish_details/cyfeiliog_mawddwy/stpedradvincula.html www.churchinwales.org.uk]
}}
The [[parish church]] of '''St Peter ad Vincula''' (meaning ''[[Liberation of Saint Peter|Saint Peter in Chains]]'') in the village of [[Pennal]] in [[Gwynedd]], north-west [[Wales]], is notable as the site of the last senate meeting held by the Welsh prince [[Owain Glyndŵr]]. It was founded in the 6th century by Saints [[Tanwg]] and [[Eithrias]], who were missionaries from [[Brittany]],<ref name="BLB"/> and is the only church in Wales with this dedication. It is now part of the benefice of [[Bro Ystumanner]] in the diocese of [[Bangor, Wales|Bangor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/structure/places/churches/?id=2233|title=St Peter Ad Vincula, Pennal|publisher=Church in Wales|accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref>
It is thought that the church was so named by Glyndŵr in competition with the chapel of [[Church of St Peter ad Vincula|St Peter ad Vincula]] in the [[Tower of London]], one of the chapels royal of his rival, King [[Henry IV of England]].  Pennal was regarded with honour because of its status as one of the 21 ''llysoedd'', the courts of the native Welsh Princes of Gwynedd.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canolfanglyndwr.org/wales-pennal.php|title=Owain Glyndŵr's Wales: Pennal|publisher=Canolfan Owain Glyndŵr Centre|accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref>
A copy of Glyndŵr's "[[Pennal Letter]]" of 1406, a letter to King [[Charles VI of France]], setting out his plans for an independent Wales, originated from Pennal. While the original letter remains in the [[Archives Nationales (France)|Archives Nationales]] in [[Paris]], a copy is displayed at the Parliament House in [[Machynlleth]], and at the [[National Library of Wales]]. The letter was briefly returned to Wales from France for an exhibition at the [[National Library of Wales]] in 2000,<ref name="bbc-letter">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/686801.stm|title=Glyndŵr letter returns to Wales|date=22 March 2000|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=3 May 2010}}</ref> and a campaign has since sprung up for it to be returned permanently to Wales and put on show at the [[Senedd building|Senedd]] in [[Cardiff]].
A memorial garden was created in the churchyard for the native Welsh princes, during the rectorship of Rev. Geraint ap Iorwerth, who was responsible for the church from 1989 until 2012. On his departure, he claimed that the Christian Church had become "cosy club for members who abide by the rules, accepting of their place in the hierarchy".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pennal-rector-geraint-leaves-cosy-2668512|title=Pennal Rector Geraint leaves ‘cosy club’ church|date=1 February 2012|publisher=Daily Post|accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref> He had previously been the centre of controversy when he burned pages from the [[King James Bible]] as part of an "art experiment".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-14241857|title=Church in Wales inquiry after rector burns Bible pages|date=22 July 2011|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref> The garden contains a bronze statue of Owain Glyndŵr, made by Dave Haynes of [[Bethesda, Gwynedd|Bethesda]], which was unveiled in 2004. Local celebrity [[Robert Plant]], who had made a donation towards the cost of the statue, attended the opening ceremony. Other notable donors included [[Ray Gravell]], [[Aneurin Jones]] and [[Julia Ormond]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/3624350.stm|title=Rock star Plant honours rebel|date=8 September 2004|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref>
The church is a [[Grade II listed building]], much of which dates from the 18th century, the original medieval church having been rebuilt in 1700.<ref name="BLB">{{cite web|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-23314-church-of-st-peter-ad-vincula-pennal#.VwbTR3arSM8|title=Church of St Peter ad Vincula, Pennal|publisher=[[British Listed Buildings]]|accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref> The porch is built of stone from nearby Llugwy Quarry. The interior includes [[stained glass]] windows by Holland & Holt (1872) and by Ernest Penwarden (1923).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stainedglass.llgc.org.uk/site/284|title=Works at Church of St Peter ad Vincula, Pennal, Gwynedd|publisher=University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies|accessdate=7 April 2016}}</ref>
==See also==
* [[Buildings associated with Owain Glyndŵr]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.castlewales.com/pennal_church.html Profile on castlewales.com]
*[http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/takingliberties/staritems/315pennalletter.html The Pennal Letter] – British Library article
*[http://imagingthebible.llgc.org.uk//site/284 Artwork at St Peter ad Vincula, Penna]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pennal, Saint Peter ad Vincula}}
[[Category:18th-century Church in Wales church buildings]]
[[Category:Grade II listed churches in Gwynedd]]
[[Category:Pennal|St Peter ad Vincula]]