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St Matthew's Church, High Street, Swansea

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NPRN404160
Map ReferenceSS69SE
Grid ReferenceSS6569593753
Unitary (Local) AuthoritySwansea
Old CountyGlamorgan
CommunityCastle (Swansea)
Type Of SiteCHURCH
Period19th Century
Description

St Matthew's church is located on the west side of High Street in a rectangular churchyard used as a cemetery. It was built in 1823-4 to the designs of William Jernagan on the site of a medieval chapel. But the church was substantially altered in 1886 by Bucknall and Jennings, architects of Swansea, possibly incorporating some earlier fabric, when the building was extended westwards and the lancet windows were replaced.
The church is constructed of coursed rubble with freestone dressings. Built in a mixed Romanesque and Classical style, it consists of unaisled nave, chancel, and west gable lean-to porch. Inside, the nave has an open boarded roof, tie beams with thin Gothic braces. The short chancel is formed by a sub-classical, triple-arch arrangement. Windows are all of sub-classical style. According to Ordnance Survey mapping the church was previously dedicated to St John.
The church ceased to be a place of worship after the final service was held on 28 March 2004. After some redevelopment the building is now occupied by The Cyrenians charity as a community centre.
Sources:
extracts from Cadw Listing description.
J.Newman, Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan (1995), p.585.
OS County Series 25-inch maps: sheet Glamorgan XXIV.5, first edition of 1878.
http://www.cyrenians-community-centre.co.uk/build2.shtml

David Leighton, RCAHMW, 18 May 2015