Frances invites members of u3a to join Art Friends Gwent on a trip to St Illtud’s Chapel on 15th October.

If you would like to join this trip, please email info@art friends gwen.org
with your name, how many in your party and where you would like to join the coach,
Monmouth or Newport. You will be prompted to pay 2 weeks before the excursion.

Cost £25 for members of AFG, £30 for non members.

St. Illtud’s is one of the most important churches in Wales containing a collection of ancient Celtic
Crosses. The church and a place of learning were founded by St. Illtud in 500A.D. The 11th Century
church now standing on this site has been called the Westminster Abbey of Wales.
At the western end stands the Galilee Chapel which houses an exhibition of Celtic crosses and carved
stones – the finest collection outside of the National Museum of Wales. It was built during the 13th
century but Parliament abolished chantries during the reign of Edward VI, the chapel fell into a ruined
state for many centuries.
In 2013, after two years of fundraising, the Galilee Project successfully raised funds to reconstruct the
chapel and bring it back into use as a visitor centre and museum for the Celtic crosses. The chapel was
rededicated and reopened in 2013.
The massing of the restored building is of a similar size and form to the original Galilee Chapel, with
innovative materials and detailing ensuring it is clearly distinguishable from the original Church: a C21st phase of construction complementing and enhance the long history of this unique building.
We are fortunate to have Michael Davies the architect responsible for the restoration of the chapel to
tell the story of the project and Rev Philip Morris, former Archdeacon of Margam and author of the
new guidebook to explain the history and importance of the crosses.