Last weekend we joined up with Ebeneser Welsh Congregational who use our building to do a joint flower decoration for the Eglwys Dewi Sant flower festival.
The flowers celebrate Welsh Saint Beuno.
St. Beuno was a preacher/missionary who founded a monastery at Clynnog, Gwynedd.
The cascading arrangements leading down to floor level represent water supplying a well at the monastery site. The water was thought to have healing properties and children suffering from rickets or epilepsy were dipped in the water and placed overnight on a bed of reeds. Water from the well, now a small medieval pool, continues to be used for Church baptisms. This act is represented by the water, mosses and reeds at ground level.
To finance the church’s work, animals with a characteristic slit ear (known as Beuno’s mark) were donated and proceeds from their sale placed in a large oak chest that still remains at Clynnog Fawr, the accessories and centrally placed chest remind us of this significant act.
An important Beuno relic – a golden bell – is represented at the rear hanging, in front of the willow branches forming an arched window. The bell was formed by manipulating and spraying Aspidistra leaves.
The wooden chest, pedestals and oak twigs/leaves refer to the oak tree planted at the Church site by Beuno. This was recognised as sacred and it was reputed to protect all Welshmen.