The best place to worship God for miles around!! Lively worship, participatory prayers & spiritual…read moregifts form the congregation & inspirational preaching. Come & see us soon.

Ludlow Elim is one of the most awesome churches I've ever been to. The people are friendly, the…read morePraise & worship (modern in style) draws what you want to say to God & about God out of you. The teaching is great, & they're passionate people.... believing that God is about to do something remarkable in this little market town. OK the building is on the small side & you have to go up some stairs to get into the main worship area (tho' a chairlift is available!), but it's homely friendly & definitely inspiring! You should go there often!!!

A 900+ year old Norman church, in need of some support and attention. It seems to have a problem…read morewith damp and needs more work than the local community can afford to bestow on it. Quite picturesque, but a bit more overbearing and ominous looking than later-built churches so it doesn't have quite such a 'picture postcard' feel.

Really beautiful ancient Church. Built in 1102 and has proved difficult to maintain…read more St Barrwg's is due to have essential repairs in the Summer of 2012 and will hopefully be restored to it's former glory. These repairs have been funded by the Community and Grants and are costing in the region of 130,000GBP. St Barrwg's has been a place of prayer down the centuriesa place where so many of us have celebrated marriages, christenings, honoured and prayed for our loved ones and a place of spirituality and for pausing in our busy world. The Church is open between 12 and 2 in the summer months please pay a visit there's some considerable historical information, a warm welcome and refreshments. The most wonderful setting for Weddings and Baptisms. Way of Faith Course starting on 13 June 2012, please make contact for more information. Regular services and Ministry of Healing available. Further details available at: http://www.parishbmr.org.uk/barrwg.html Photos added were provided by Sarah Carter http://www.c4rter.co.uk

Pretty without being chocolate-boxy, Penmark is a small village just outside Barry with a good…read morelocal pub and an interesting mediaeval church. Its peace is only disturbed by the aircraft taking off from nearby Cardiff-Wales airport, but it's a million miles away in character. History The village was the site of a 12th century Norman castle, overlooking a natural ravine carved by the Waycock River. Originally built in wood by Gilbert de Umfraville, it was rebuilt in stone in the 13th century. A good review of the castle (now in ruins) can be found at http://www.castlewales.com . The church was probably built around the same time, and its generous proportions may reflect the patronage of the local lord. The oldest part is the chancel arch, dating from around 1200. The tower arch dates from 1400 and most of the Perpendicular Gothic windows date from the 15th century. Charles Wesley preached here on 26th July 1777, after breakfasting in nearby Fonmon Castle. In 1811 the church is recorded as still being dedicated to St Mark, and repairs were undertaken and new seating was installed in 1893-5. In the churchyard is a preaching cross, restored in 1888, on the original mediaeval base. The church The church has a south porch, nave, chancel and tower. The most notable interior feature is the peculiar chancel arch, a simple and crude pointed arch with similarly crude zig-zag carving, dated to around 1200. More impressive is a tall and beautifully proportioned Perpendicular tower arch dating from around 1400. The nave has a well preserved staircase for a long-vanished Rood Screen. Most of the windows are perpendicular in style, dating from the later 15th century, some restored. The church has some interesting fittings and furnishings: pride of place goes to the Jacobean pulpit, from which Charles Wesley preached in 1777. The nave side altar opposite dates from 1709, and above are memorials to Jones family of Fonmon Castle. In the chancel are late 17th century alabaster memorials to the Lewis Family of Penmark Place, with coats of arms and skulls. The nave has a plain turned Norman tub font, presumably dating from the founding of the church. The church is an integral part of village life details of special services can be found in the newsletter at http://www.penmark.org . Regular services are part of the joint benefice of Benefice of Penmark with Llancarfan with Llantrithyd telephone for service times and location.

I'm not one to preach, but this lovely non-denominational Christian church is a spectacular…read morebuilding in Clifton. If religion is your thing and you're a young person looking to get involved in friendly bibled-based activities, then Woodlands might be for you. They hold a wide range of events for students. They're modern in attitude and style and have a community of around 800 worshippers. Pop along for the popular weekly lunches held between lectures on a variety of interesting subjects - religious, educational, philosophical. There's enough food for an army at bargain basement prices, and you might leave feeling spiritually nourished too, if that's your sort of thing.

This is such a funny church. Every year they have a BBQ during freshers week you pay a pound and…read morethey feed you with burgers sausages, biscuits and cakes. Great?! Only however if you get there early they place is so full by 12 that it is unlikely that you will be able to get plate. This is all part of a movement to reach out to the students that walk past their door every day, and i think it works. It is an amazing building too, with the main church and a more modern crypt beneath it.

Belmont Abbey is a community of Benedictine monks founded in 1859…read more They lead a life of work study and prayer. Attached to the monastery is a first class guest house 'Hedley Lodge' which has a excellent standard of service most rooms have TV, phone are en-suite and have a tea and coffee tray. The rooms are warm and comfortable and the food is excellent. I have attended several 'retreats' at the abbey and have found them of great value for 'getting away from it all 'for a few days The abbey although within walking distance from the town of Hereford is situated in quite countryside the only sound at night is the abbey clock chiming the hours This cannot be heard from many rooms. On one occasion when it was a popular retreat I was offered a room in the abbey itself. This was an interesting occurrence as there was no sound at all during the night A complete silence. A very unusual experience ! Even though I live in a fairly noiseless rural area a there is always some faint sounds. to be heard at night. The retreats which are usually for a weekend are given mostly by one of the monks of the community and obviously have a Christian basis. A complete list can be downloaded from their website As a sample there is in June a workshop on painting Icons where beginners and more experienced artists are welcome to try their hand at the art This year the subject will be the icon of Elijah.

While Hedley Lodge offers a good standard of hotel accomodation for those attending retreats or…read morecourses it is also possible to sample monastic life itself. These stays of typically 3 or 4 days can be arranged through the Guestmaster of the monastery; one of the monks. Accomodation is simple but sufficient - no en suite. You are invited to join the monks in their daily Benedictine routine. Morning prayers at 6am; Mass at 8am; help yourself breakfast; rest of the morning free to read or walk; prayers before lunch then formal served lunch. Afternoons free. Evening prayers at 6pm; help yourself dinner at 7pm. Night prayers at 8.30 or so, then the end of day bell rings. All meals are taken in silence. If you are 'stressed out' by the world and life's troubles and looking for peace of mind I can recommend the structure and discipline of the Benedictine routine. It is hard work but very effective therapy. The monks are nice guys and will look after you: they are allowed to communicate :-). You don't have to be catholic but it helps I suppose. I was going south after a major bereavement and this routine got me back on the front mental foot in 3 days. Great result. They should invoice the NHS really.

One day I walked around the corner and saw a vision of glimmering white and thought I was in India…read morelooking at the palace of a king. It seemed as though this impressive building had appeared overnight! What is so great about this ornate temple, topped with several large 'shikhars' or domes, is that it's smack bang in the middle of a residential area and shopping street. The community that worship here helped to build and finance it and it is full of beautiful detail including solid hand carved wooden doors. The temple is now very much a part of the Grangetown community. According to the Shree Swaminarayan temple website, local school children visit it as part of their religious education. Tip: before you visit the temple check out their website to learn more about the history of the building, it's beautifully written as well.

This church, with its attractive spire, is really a landmark which can be seen from miles around…read more It stands overlooking a small park, Victoria Gardens, in the town centre. Built in a Gothic style in the 19th century, it's surprisingly large inside. The stained glass windows are beautiful and some of the smaller ones are dedicated to previous worshippers here. There is easy access to the church, including ramps, and there is a small gift shop attached.