Heritage — St Thomas Church, Redwick

 

      Following a number of meetings of church and community members a group of us decided to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Great Flood in the church with Flowers and Artefacts.  It was decided to depict the flood in a “watery” theme of well chosen verses from the Bible.  The Church and Community were asked to help in this project and we were thrilled to receive so much support from people in all the surrounding areas: Redwick, Magor, Undy, Newport, Caldicot, and Caerwent, and even as far away as Clundunford

     We were uncertain how to proceed in some areas, but we received wonderful help from Katy Lund of Deacon’s Florists, Chepstow, who supplied a beautiful range of flowers to suit the challenge.  Artefacts and fabrics were also carefully chosen to suit the themes; very special display of period costumes and household items were loaned by the National Museum of Wales and had to be closely guarded at all times.

     Our attempts were enhanced by collages and artwork on the same themes provided by the children and staff of Magor Church in Wales School.  The church looked splendid by the opening on the Friday of the May late Bank Holiday weekend.

     The exhibitors and helpers were looked after very well in the days leading up to the opening by villagers and the landlord and landlady of the Rose Inn, who supplied much appreciated drinks and other sustenance over several days.

     Every household in Redwick was supplied with a piece of a specially commissioned jig-saw puzzle.  When the pieces were brought to the church over the weekend, and assembled on an easel, scenes of the village were revealed.  These puzzles had been created by a craftsman based on the Isle of Mull; he was very pleased with the commission as he had seen the Timewatch programme about the flood earlier in the year.  Additional copies were later able to be ordered by individuals for their own enjoyment.

     A very warm and grateful thank you must be given to everyone involved in the project and to all those who took the time and trouble to visit the displays.  We formally recorded about 850 in the four days (in spite of the very wet weather on the Sunday!) and we believe another 100 or so enjoyed the displays in the following week.

 

 Christine, Mair, Ann and Sue.

A year of events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Great Flood

 

Exhibition Weekend: “Looking Back to Look Forward”