St Mary's Church, Swansea

51°37′08″N 3°56′35″W / 51.619°N 3.943°W / 51.619; -3.943LocationSwanseaCountry WalesDenominationChurch in WalesPrevious denominationCatholic ChurchWebsitehttps://www.swanseastmary.co.uk/HistoryStatusCollegiate churchFoundedearly 13th centuryFounder(s)Henry de Gower, Bishop of Saint David'sConsecrated1959ArchitectureFunctional statusActiveHeritage designationGrade II*Designated1896,1950Architect(s)Arthur Blomfield, Dean Allan SmithArchitectural typeChurchAdministrationProvinceWalesDioceseSwansea and BreconArchdeaconryGowerDeaneryAfon Tawe (Swansea)ParishCentral SwanseaClergyArchbishopMost Revd Andrew JohnBishop(s)Right Revd John LomasRectorThe Revd Canon Justin DaviesCurate(s)The Revd John AnthonyArchdeaconJonathan DaviesLaityDirector of musicDr William ReynoldsChapter clerkMr Paul MurrayChurchwarden(s)Mrs Helen Murray MBE, Dr Bashir Masih Gill

St Mary's Collegiate and Parish Church is an Anglican church in the centre of Swansea, Wales, UK. It is considered the Civic Church of Swansea.

There was a church on the site of St Mary's since circa 1328, erected by Henry de Gower, Bishop of Saint David's. One Sunday morning, in 1739, the roof of the nave collapsed into the church while the congregation was waiting to enter the building. The whole structure was re-built apart from the tower. 1822 saw the church being lit by gas for the first time with thirty six lamps. The church underwent complete renovation between 1879 and 1882 by Vicar Dr Morgan. In 1896, the church was flattened and rebuilt again under the designs of Arthur Blomfield by Dean Allan Smith, though some parts of the old church survived the re-development. In February 1941 the church was extensively damaged by Bombing during the Blitz. It was not rebuilt until the 1950s.^[1]

From the 1890s the Swansea Devil stood on a set of buildings facing the west side of the church, constructed by a disgruntled rival of Blomfield's, angry at the commissioning of Blomfield's designs over his own.

Bells

The tower contains eight bells, which were cast in 1959 by John Taylor & Co, Loughborough with the heaviest weighing 20cwt - 2qr - 12lb (1049.2 kg) in "E". Details of the bells:-

Bell	Weight	Nominal Freq.	Note	Diameter	Year Cast	Foundry
1	5-1-10 (271.9 kg)	1326.0 Hz	E	28.25 inches (71.8 cm)	1959	John Taylor & Co
2	5-2-12 (285.5 kg)	1249.0 Hz	D#	29.13 inches (74.0 cm)	1959	John Taylor & Co
3	5-3-10 (297.3 kg)	1110.0 Hz	C#	30.50 inches (77.5 cm)	1959	John Taylor & Co
4	7-0-18 (364.6 kg)	986.0 Hz	B	32.75 inches (83.2 cm)	1958	John Taylor & Co
5	9-2-9 (487.8 kg)	876.0 Hz	A	36.50 inches (92.7 cm)	1959	John Taylor & Co
6	11-0-1 (560.5 kg)	825.0 Hz	G#	38.50 inches (97.8 cm)	1959	John Taylor & Co
7	15-0-3 (765.1 kg)	734.0 Hz	F#	43.13 inches (109.6 cm)	1959	John Taylor & Co
8	20-2-12 (1049.2 kg)	654.0 Hz	E	48.00 inches (121.9 cm)	1959	John Taylor & Co

Images

• 
  View looking east towards the altar
• 
  The Millennium Window based on Revelation 22 v5. They need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever. "The sun sets on the city of Swansea but rises in the new Jerusalem"
• 
  View looking west towards the back of the church
• 
  The ceiling of the nave
• 
  Aisle and columns
• 
  The Font with its steel canopy reflecting the industrial heritage of Swansea.
• 
  The main door. The most impressive and best preserved part of the door of the blitzed church is the carving above where we see Jesus reigning in heaven surrounded by the four gospel writers in their traditional representations. Matthew is a man, Mark a lion, Luke a bull and John an eagle. This was carved by the notable Mr. Nicholls of Lambeth in London

References

External links

• GENUKI: Swansea
• St Mary's Swansea website
• Artwork at St Mary's Church, Swansea