St David's Priory Church, Swansea

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St David's Priory Church
Grade II listed St David's Priory Church, Swansea - geograph.org.uk - 2825730.jpg
St David's Priory Church, Swansea
51°37′04″N3°56′31″W / 51.6179°N 3.942°W / 51.6179; -3.942
OS grid reference SS656927
Location Swansea
CountryUnited Kingdom
Denomination Roman Catholic
Website Official site
History
Status Parish church
Founder(s)Fr Charles Kavanagh
Dedication Saint David
Associated people Benedictines
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II listed
Designated30 March 1987 [1]
Architect(s) Charles Hansom
Style Gothic Revival
Completed8 September 1847
Construction cost£1300
Administration
Province Cardiff-Menevia
Archdiocese Cardiff-Menevia
Deanery Swansea

St David's Priory Church is a Catholic parish church in Swansea, Wales. It is the oldest Catholic church in Swansea. [2] It was built in 1847 and replaced a church on the same site that was constructed around 1808. It is called the Priory Church after the Benedictines ministered there from 1873. It was designed by Charles Hansom in the Gothic revival style of architecture. It is located on St David's Place, between LC, Swansea and Swansea Minster, in the centre of the city. It is a Grade II listed building. [3] [4]

Contents

History

Foundation

In 1810, before Catholic Emancipation in 1829, a Catholic chapel was built. It was situated in a modified barn building on Nelson Street. It was paid for by Maria Fitzherbert, who was once illegally married to George IV. The chapel was served by a priest from France, Albert Sejan. He was once chaplain to Louis XVI. [5]

Construction

In 1839, a new priest started serving the chapel, Charles Kavanagh. He worked serving the Catholics in Aberavon, Neath and Llanelli during the Great Irish Famine. The chapel was too small and dilapidated for the growing congregation, so he set about raising funds for a new, larger church. Construction of the church was paid for by Lady Catherine Eyre, Mrs Shewin and donations from the public. The church was designed by Charles Hansom. It cost £1300 and was opened on 8 September 1847. The stained-glass window depicting the resurrection was given to the church by George Grant Francis. At its opening, the Bishop William Ullathorne, the Vicar Apostolic of the Western District, preached at the Mass. [2]

Developments

From 1856 to 1873, the priest at the church was Peter Lewis. He was responsible for the building of the school, a nearby convent, and the first post-Reformation Catholic church in Greenhill. He expanded St David's Priory Church and hired the architect Benjamin Bucknall to design the extensions. In 1873, the parish was handed over to the Benedictines and they made it a priory church. [2]

Parish

In 2009, the Benedictines left and returned administration of the parish to the local diocese, who continue to serve the parish today. [2] St Illtyd's Church in Danygraig is served from St David's Priory Church. St Illtyd's Church has two Sunday Masses at 6:00 pm on Saturday and at 10:00 am on Sunday morning. St David's Priory Church has two Sunday Masses at 11:30 am and at 6:00 pm. [6]

Interior

See also

References

  1. ↑ St. David's Priory R.C. Church from British Listed Buildings, retrieved 29 May 2025
  2. 1 2 3 4 "St David's Priory - Swansea University". www.swansea.ac.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
  3. ↑ "English – Coflein". coflein.gov.uk. Retrieved 2025-05-29.
  4. ↑ "Listed Buildings - Full Report - HeritageBill Cadw Assets - Reports". cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
  5. ↑ "Swansea - St David's Priory". Taking Stock. Retrieved 2025-05-31.
  6. ↑ Directory from Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia, retrieved 31 May 2025
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