Thomas Charles was a great religious reformer who came to Bala in the 1780s and became immersed in Welsh Methodism. He pioneered a system of Sunday Schools and published religious books. There was a great need for Welsh Bibles and, after a young girl called Mary Jones walked 25 miles barefoot over the mountains to buy one from him, he pleaded with the Religious Tract Society to produce more Welsh Bibles. He also helped to found the British and Foreign Bible Society. His statue stands in front of Tegid Chapel.
