PLANS to save Llangwm’s medieval church and uncover the village’s Flemish roots have been backed by Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies.

Mr Davies, who was shown around the church by Heritage Llangwm chair Pam Hunt, described his visit as “truly thought provoking and inspiring”.

The plans include renovating the church and adding modern facilities for worship and events, and also researching the history of the Flemish community whose ancestors arrived in Britain with William the Conquerer.

The project received a grant of £340,400 last month from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), as well as funding from the All Churches Trust.

A grant of £10,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation was also recently announced.

Mr Davies was also briefed on plans to create ‘The Talking Tapestry of Llangwm’, which will feature scenes from the village’s history embroidered by local people.

An app for mobile phones and tablets will enable viewers to call up the full story in words and pictures.

Mr Davies said: ‘The Talking Tapestry of Llangwm’ will be an excellent feature which will utilise modern technology to tell a story of many hundreds of years ago.

“It gives me great pleasure to support St Jerome’s in their continuing bid to attract funding, and I look forward to visiting the church again once the work is complete.”

The head of the HLF in Wales, Jennifer Stewart, said St Jerome’s perfectly reflected Wales’s rich heritage.

“From its medieval roots to its Flemish connections, this church has a wonderful story to share and will have an important role to play in bringing the local community together, making it an excellent investment of National Lottery players’ money,” she said.