Llanbedrog is served by many churches - Independent - Llanbedrog (01758-740389); Methodist - Llanbedrog (01758-740565); Wesleyan - Llanbedrog (01758-740453) and of course the most well know St. Pedrog's, which has a facinating history.

The Church of Saint Pedrog

Rev. Canon Andrew Jones, MA BD BTh MPhil - Andrew Jones is currently Rector of Llanbedrog, Rural Dean of Llyn and Eifionydd and Research Fellow in Theology at Cardiff University. Formerly, he was Lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Cardiff, specialising in Ethics, Pastoral Theology and Bible. He has several published articles in learned journals and has recently published a book on the archaeological and ecclesiastical sites associated with Christian pilgrimage in Early Medieval Britain and Ireland (Canterbury/SCM Press 2001). His current major research project is a study of the shape, character and development of the Early Church in Celtic Britain. He participates in and leads pilgrimages in Wales and lectures widely in the field of Celtic Theology. He holds degrees and awards in Theology from the Universities of Wales (Bangor and Lampeter), Dublin (Trinity College) and Jerusalem.

The village gets its name because of the establishment of the Church, which is attributed to St. Pedrog who lived in the 6th century. Llan is an old Welsh word meaning an enclosure, and so was used to denote the land on which churches were built. The first letter of the saint's name is mutated to B.

According to ancient legends Pedrog was a prince who renounced his rights to inherit his father's kingdom and became a monk in Bodmin in Cornwall. From there he went on his missionary journeys. The position of churches bearing his name, nearly always near the coast, reminds us that in those days traveling was done mainly by sea. He is one of the chief saints of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, and also of Brittany. He is the patron saint of two other Churches in Wales, St. Petrox near Pembroke and Ferwig near Cardigan.

The present building is largely the result of repairs and restoration carried out during the last century. It was then that the tower was added.

Among the older parts of the Church are the screen and the window behind the gallery. This window looks like the mixed up pieces of a jigsaw. The pieces of glass were found when the Church was being restored in the 1860's, and used in this window. It is believed that the original window, making a complete picture, was destroyed by Cromwell's troops.

The name Parry, which will be seen on many of the memorial tablets on the walls of the Church, links us with Cromwell. The first member of this family to live in Llanbedrog was Geoffrey Parry, a zealous puritan from Shropshire who was an officer in the Commonwealth army. He married one of the daughters of Cefnllanfair (this house is on the road to Rhyd-y-clafdy). Their son was the first Love Parry (there were five others who bore this name). In 1693 he gave to the Church a chalice and pattern, which are still in use. Love Parry the Second lived in Wern Fawr.

St. Pedrog's Church - Inside

For more information on ST. PEDROG'S CHURCH click here

Guided tours of the church are available during the summer months.