St Cadoc's Guyana Dale mystery?

[Bob Spiers]

Well it's a mystery to me and it really shouldn't be. I really do not have a problem with St Cadoc as Wikipedia tells me he was a born c497 and was an Abbot called Cadoc or Cadog, (or in Welsh Cattwg where he was also known as Cattwg Ddoeth "the Wise"). He should not be confused with Cadoc of Cornwall who apparently was a Prince.

I have tried to establish why a C of E Church in Hall Green Parish of Birmingham (which features in my family history) now called St Peter's was originally known as ' St Cadoc's Guyana Dale'. Click this link StCadoc
to discover this information for yourself: scroll down to C of E Hall Green St Peter.

But 'Guyana Dale' has me well and truly beaten and Googling in full or part ends up taking you to articles on Guyana or persons called Dale and all shades in between. But nothing under the full description of St Cadoc's Guyana Dale except the one solitary entry already given.

I am a member of BMSGH (the link is from their webpage) and I will ask if anyone can explain the Guyana Dale bit and I have even emailed the current Church's website to see if they can throw light on the matter. I thought meanwhile perhaps someone on the Forum can throw light on the matter, even if just to put me out of my misery.

 

[Heather]

I have tried to establish why a C of E Church in Hall Green Parish of Birmingham (which features in my family history) now called St Peter's was originally known as ' St Cadoc's Guyana Dale'.

Yes I can see the problem, even the church site does not have any history attached, I found a mention on this site British History which reads "116. ST. PETER, Hall Green (Highfield Rd.), is a temporary building erected in 1922 and licensed by the bishop, as a mission of Christ Church, Yardley Wood, from 1923. It was originally known as St. Cadoc's, Gwynfa Dale; a Conventional District was attached to the mission church in 1954, and the name was changed to St. Peter's." This spelling of Guyana opens up more possibilities such as The National Archive Site which I will leave for you to try, good luck Bob.

 

[Bob Spiers]

It was originally known as St. Cadoc's, Gwynfa Dale; a Conventional District was attached to the mission church in 1954, and the name was changed to St. Peter's

How very, very helpful Heather, especially the alternative 'Gwynfa Dale' which sounds far more likely the correct spelling. However things have moved on slightly in that I have heard from St Peter's Parish office and they suggest the church I seek (I asked a specific question relating to 1937) is actually the Church of the Ascension Hall Green (which incidentally was the one above in the link I sent); simply because St Peters did not become Hall Green Parish Church until 1954. Before that the title went to the Church of the Ascension so must now pursue that Church which (like St Peter's) also had a previous name of Job Marston Chapel, so that will be next on my list to puzzle over.

Having thanked the writer for his help I elected to ask a follow up question -even though St Peters is not the church I seek - regarding "St Cadoc's Gwynfa Dale" in the hope I can resolve that particular matter and will post the answer in due course.

Isn't historical research fun even if a little frustrating at times. But thank you again.

 

[emjay]

It was originally known as St. Cadoc's, Gwynfa Dale;

By jove I think she's got it! Well done Heather If you pronounce in Welsh.... then mispell in English...

 

[mowsehowse]

Clearly this is very old news, and I might be out on a limb here, but a bit of digging suggests "Gwynfa", (being the female form of "Gwynfor",) translates as "white, fair, blessed". Perhaps the dale was regarded as such, which is which it was selected to become the site of a church??