400-year-old Welsh bible that survived French invasion to go on display

A leather bound Welsh bible close to 400-years-old was recently discovered in the back of a church.

The 1620 Llanwnda Bible has survived fires, a French invasion and was even used as toilet paper, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

"The story goes that the book was rediscovered at the back of the church in the 1990s and nobody realised what it was," Vicar of the church Rev Sarah Geach told the Daily Mail. Adding, "The parish made a cabinet but of course they were not able to store it under the right conditions and over a period of time it started to deteriorate."

So two years ago, the bible was given to conservators at the University of Wales' Trinity St David's in Lampeter, West Wales. In order to revitalise it, the bible was placed in a special room with temperatures set at 15C and humidity levels at 60%.

"What makes it unique is its association with the last invasion on British soil all those years ago," retired lecturer Dr John Morgan-Guy. It will soon go on display at the National Library of Wales.