A MUCH-LOVED church near Llanfyllin is to share in a £611,000 funding payout from the National Churches Trust.

A £5,000 National Churches Trust Cornerstone Grant will help St Michael’s church in Llanyblodwel pay for the installation of modern toilets allowing it to better serve the community.

Broadcaster and journalist Huw Edwards, who is vice president of The National Churches Trust, said he was delighted to see St Michael's receive the vital funding.

“I’m delighted that St Michael, Llanyblodwel is being helped with a £5,000 National Churches Trust Cornerstone Grant," he said.

"The grant will help to fund much needed modernisation of toilet facilities.”

“The grant will safeguard unique local heritage and to help St Michael’s continue to support local people as we begin to emerge from Covid-19 pandemic.”

Roger Taylor and Abie Tudor, churchwardens at St Michael’s, said: “Providing a modern toilet facility with access for the disabled is an important step in developing the role of our church not only among the parishioners but for the wider community.

"We are delighted at the generosity of the National Churches Trust."

St Michael’s was substantially rebuilt in 1847 by Revd John Parker, who had strong family links to the area and incorporated medieval remains and a schoolroom dating from the 18th century.

The church’s earliest elements include a tall, narrow Norman south doorway, perpendicular north aisle arcade of three bays with simple short octagonal piers and two perpendicular east windows.

Later works are recognisable by an imposing octagonal steeple, crowned by a curved stone spire, dormer windows in the north and south walls and arches with curly cusping.

The Revd Parker had strong family links with the area, and he not only rebuilt the church, the vicarage and a new school but personally executed an extensive scheme of wall paintings, comprising scripture texts and decorative work, as well as internal carvings, which can be seen today.

A total of 67 churches and chapels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will benefit from the latest grants from the National Churches Trust, the charity supporting church buildings of all Christian denominations across the UK.

This is the first round of grants made by the National Churches Trust in 2021. Last year the Trust awarded, or recommended on behalf of other funders, 260 grants worth £1.7 million.