Issue 44 winter 24 - Journal - Page 34
Reviving History:
The Transformation of All Saints
Church into a Family Home
The UK has a growing number of churches and chapels that are no longer in regular use. All too
often they quickly become neglected, falling into significant disrepair. Fortunately, with good ideas and
careful renovation, old churches can be repurposed for new uses rather than being lost forever. Such
is the case with All Saints Church in Swansea.
The historic Welsh church of All Saints, in Swansea
opened in 1845, and was built by the celebrated industrialist Grenfell family, whose wealth came from copper
mining. The family originated in the St Thomas area of
the city, where the church is located. As well as building
All Saints, they also invested in a school and houses for
their workers.
Due to dwindling congregations, the Church in Wales
closed All Saints in 2015. After being sold in 2017,
an initial planning application in 2018 to convert the
building into a residential property was turned down.
Sadly, the building then became a target for vandals,
hastening its deterioration.
However, a new planning application has since been
approved, and All Saints is now in the process of being
turned into a five-bedroom family home.
The church contains a range of monuments and memorials to World War I soldiers, the Grenfell family, and
stained-glass windows. The new owners are sensitive to
the concerns of the local community regarding the historical fabric of the building and are keen to ensure that
key features are preserved and restored. Crucially, the new
planning application will protect the overall appearance
of the church within its community setting.
