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| Relocated medieval church opens | Relocated medieval church opens |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A 13th Century church, which was dismantled and rebuilt 50 miles away at a museum in Cardiff, has been opened by the Archbishop of Canterbury. | |
| St Teilo's Church has been recreated stone-by-stone over 20 years at the National History Museum, St Fagans. | St Teilo's Church has been recreated stone-by-stone over 20 years at the National History Museum, St Fagans. |
| The church from Pontarddulais near Swansea has been restored to recreate its appearance in 1520. | The church from Pontarddulais near Swansea has been restored to recreate its appearance in 1520. |
| Copies of a rare series of 16th Century paintings, which were uncovered as it was being dismantled, adorn the walls. | Copies of a rare series of 16th Century paintings, which were uncovered as it was being dismantled, adorn the walls. |
| First Minister Rhodri Morgan also attended the ceremony with the archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams. | |
| Mr Morgan believes his great-grandparents married at the church, which was used regularly until 1850 and then occasionally during the summer until 1985. | Mr Morgan believes his great-grandparents married at the church, which was used regularly until 1850 and then occasionally during the summer until 1985. |
| It's going to be a really big 'wow' factor when the people of Pontarddulais walk in there for the first time Ray Smith, head carpenter | It's going to be a really big 'wow' factor when the people of Pontarddulais walk in there for the first time Ray Smith, head carpenter |
| The first minister said: "I have watched the incredible skills of the restoration team that have reconstructed the building and saved the frescoes. | The first minister said: "I have watched the incredible skills of the restoration team that have reconstructed the building and saved the frescoes. |
| "This is a stunning addition to the treasure trove of Welsh history contained in St Fagans." | "This is a stunning addition to the treasure trove of Welsh history contained in St Fagans." |
| The museum has a number of buildings, representing Wales through the ages, but this was one of its most ambitious projects. | The museum has a number of buildings, representing Wales through the ages, but this was one of its most ambitious projects. |
| Dr Williams said the church's restoration was an "amazing achievement" and a "real triumph for the country". | |
| The archbishop, who is himself from Swansea, said the restoration was also part of the process of discovering more about Wales' history in the Middle Ages. | |
| Flourishing culture | |
| "Our history didn't just begin when they discovered coal, our history didn't end when the Romans left. | |
| There's a long period in-between, when we were part of Europe and a big flourishing culture," said the archbishop. | |
| Curator Gerallt Nash said: "Before we actually started the work of dismantling the building, we carried out a rescue operation to uncover what was hidden away beneath layer upon layers of lime wash. | Curator Gerallt Nash said: "Before we actually started the work of dismantling the building, we carried out a rescue operation to uncover what was hidden away beneath layer upon layers of lime wash. |
| "That was when we found the amazing series of wall paintings here." | "That was when we found the amazing series of wall paintings here." |
| The church was moved from its original site in 1985 | |
| The discovery influenced the decision to reconstruct the church as it would have looked in the 16th Century - prior to the Reformation. | The discovery influenced the decision to reconstruct the church as it would have looked in the 16th Century - prior to the Reformation. |
| Specialist craftsmen used traditional methods to build what according to the museum is the UK's first authentic reconstruction of a medieval masonry-built church. | Specialist craftsmen used traditional methods to build what according to the museum is the UK's first authentic reconstruction of a medieval masonry-built church. |
| It contains all the elements of a late medieval Catholic church, including a rood screen and a loft, elaborately carved from oak. | It contains all the elements of a late medieval Catholic church, including a rood screen and a loft, elaborately carved from oak. |
| Head carpenter Ray Smith said some of the original roof trusses had been saved, but timber had also been sourced from Ruabon near Wrexham. | Head carpenter Ray Smith said some of the original roof trusses had been saved, but timber had also been sourced from Ruabon near Wrexham. |
| "I bought all the timbers for the project while they were still standing, so I know where every tree has come from," he said. | "I bought all the timbers for the project while they were still standing, so I know where every tree has come from," he said. |
| Fruit trees | |
| The timber for the rood screen - which Mr Smith described as a carved oak screen separating the nave from the chancel - was sourced from Radnorshire. | The timber for the rood screen - which Mr Smith described as a carved oak screen separating the nave from the chancel - was sourced from Radnorshire. |
| He researched the history of St Teilo, the patron saint of horses and fruit trees, in order to carve his life story into the screen. | He researched the history of St Teilo, the patron saint of horses and fruit trees, in order to carve his life story into the screen. |
| Mr Smith explained the screen had been used in medieval times to keep the congregation out of the chancel - the area where the altar was located. | Mr Smith explained the screen had been used in medieval times to keep the congregation out of the chancel - the area where the altar was located. |
| He said: "It's been a big learning curve for lots of people, because the history involved in recreating a medieval building... is new to most people in this country, in fact, probably around the world." | He said: "It's been a big learning curve for lots of people, because the history involved in recreating a medieval building... is new to most people in this country, in fact, probably around the world." |
| Those who remember the church in its original location were invited to a service held by their vicar, Reverend John Walters, as part of its opening on the museums' 100-acre site. | |
| "Wow" factor | |
| Rev Walters said: "The church had not been used regularly since 1850, apart from three services a year during the summer months. | Rev Walters said: "The church had not been used regularly since 1850, apart from three services a year during the summer months. |
| "Eventually with slates being stolen from the roof it was decided that something had to be done," he explained. | "Eventually with slates being stolen from the roof it was decided that something had to be done," he explained. |
| Rev Walters said entering the church would be strange in two ways for the congregation. | |
| "Most of the people who do remember it there and who remember going to services there in the summer will have quite a surprise, because it's going to be 'dressed up' as it were in its medieval guise." | "Most of the people who do remember it there and who remember going to services there in the summer will have quite a surprise, because it's going to be 'dressed up' as it were in its medieval guise." |
| Mr Smith added: "It's going to be a really big 'wow' factor when the people of Pontarddulais walk in there for the first time." | Mr Smith added: "It's going to be a really big 'wow' factor when the people of Pontarddulais walk in there for the first time." |
| The church opens to the public on Monday. | The church opens to the public on Monday. |