Swansea Minster facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Swansea Minster
Minster Church of St. Mary Swansea with Holy Trinity
Mystwyr Abertawe  (Welsh)
Swansea Minster Location in Swansea
51°37′08″N 3°56′35″W / 51.619°N 3.943°W / 51.619; -3.943
Location	Swansea
Country	Wales
Denomination	Church in Wales
Previous denomination	Catholic Church
Website	https://www.swanseaminster.org.uk/
History
Former name(s)	St Mary's Church
Status	Minster church
Founded	early 13th century
Founder(s)	Henry de Gower, Bishop of Saint David's
Consecrated	1959
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	1896,1950
Architect(s)	Arthur Blomfield, Dean Allan Smith
Architectural type	Church
Administration
Parish	Central Swansea
Deanery	Afon Tawe (Swansea)
Archdeaconry	Gower
Diocese	Swansea and Brecon
Province	Wales

Swansea Minster (which is Mystwyr Abertawe in Welsh) is a special church in the heart of Swansea, Wales. Its full name is the Minster Church of St. Mary Swansea with Holy Trinity. It used to be called St Mary's Church.

This church is an Anglican Minster church. It is seen as the main church for the city of Swansea. In 2024, it became Wales' first official Minster church, which is a big honour.

There has been a church on this spot since about 1328. It was first built by Henry de Gower, who was the Bishop of Saint David's. Over the years, the church has been rebuilt many times. In 1739, the roof of the main part of the church fell in. The whole building, except for the tower, had to be rebuilt.

In 1822, the church got gas lights for the first time. It had 36 lamps! Later, between 1879 and 1882, the church was fully made new again. In 1896, it was mostly taken down and rebuilt based on designs by Arthur Blomfield. Some older parts of the church were kept.

During World War II, in February 1941, the church was badly damaged by bombs during the Blitz. It took until the 1950s to rebuild it.

Since the 1890s, a famous statue called the Swansea Devil has stood on a building across from the church. It was put there by someone who was unhappy that Arthur Blomfield's church designs were chosen over his own.

Today, Swansea Minster is known for its beautiful architecture. It also runs many community programs and holds regular church services. It has been a key part of Swansea's history and culture for hundreds of years.

Becoming a Minster Church

In 2024, St. Mary's Church became the first minster church in Wales. This was a very important event for the Church in Wales.

This special honour was part of a big effort by the Church in Wales. They are spending £10 million to help spread their message across Wales. Making St. Mary's a minster church shows how important it is to the area around it.

The dedication ceremony happened on February 16, 2025. It was led by Andy John, who is the Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Bangor.

Church Bells

The church tower holds eight bells. These bells were made in 1959 by a company called John Taylor & Co in Loughborough. The heaviest bell weighs about 1049 kilograms (over 1 ton!).

Here are some details about the bells:

Images for kids

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  View looking east towards the altar

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  The Millennium Window shows a scene from the Bible. It reminds us that God's light will always be there.

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  View looking west towards the back of the church

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  The ceiling of the nave, which is the main part of the church.

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  Aisle and columns inside the church.

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  The Font, where baptisms happen. Its steel cover shows Swansea's history of industry.

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  The main door. The carving above the door shows Jesus in heaven with the four gospel writers.