Brief Histories: St Paul’s Church
If you walk along Gower Road in Sketty, it’s hard to miss the elegant spire of St Paul’s Church rising above the trees. For over 170 years, this stone built church has been part of village life; as a place of worship, a community hub and a quiet marker of local history.
Yet for many, even regular passers by, the full story of St Paul’s is not widely known. Its roots go back to a time when Sketty was just beginning to grow from a scattered hamlet into the suburb we know today.
St Paul’s Church was founded in 1850, during a period of expansion for both Swansea and its surrounding villages. Sketty’s population was rising, and there was a need for a new place of worship closer to home than St Mary’s in the town centre.
The church was built with the support of the Vivian family, well known as Swansea’s industrial copper magnates. Henry Hussey Vivian commissioned the church in memory of his first wife, Jessie Vivian, who had passed away in 1848. The Vivians owned the surrounding Singleton Estate, and St Paul’s was built on their land.
Architect Henry Woodyer designed the original structure in the Gothic Revival style popular at the time. When the church was consecrated on 27 September 1850, it had a single nave, a chancel and a striking broached spire, still a defining feature of Sketty’s skyline today. The lych gate at the entrance was also added around this time, a traditional touch for Victorian churches.
In 1851, St Paul’s officially became the parish church for Sketty, marking its place as the village’s spiritual heart.
While the church’s exterior retains much of its 19th-century character, St Paul’s has grown and changed to reflect the needs of its congregation.
The south aisle was added in the late 1890s, followed by a larger north aisle and an extended chancel in 1908–09. By 1929, the north aisle and chancel were fully completed under the direction of Swansea architect Glendinning Moxham. These extensions gave the church its present cruciform shape.
One of the church’s most distinctive interior spaces is the Vivian family chapel, located off the south aisle. This chapel serves as both a place of quiet reflection and a memorial to the family who helped establish St Paul’s. Here, visitors can see beautifully carved tomb recesses and memorial tablets, as well as a graceful white marble sculpture of Jessie Vivian by renowned Italian sculptor Pietro Tenerani.
Other features of note include:
The Tower and Bells: The church’s west tower houses a peal of eight bells, cast in 1850 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. They still ring today.
Stained Glass Windows: Some of the windows date back to the mid-Victorian period, including work by Hardman & Co. and later additions by Kempe & Tower in the 1920s.
Interior Details: Inside, visitors will find polished oak pews, a marble reredos, ornate floor tiles, and an open arch-braced roof that creates a sense of light and space.
In 1993, St Paul’s was officially designated a Grade II listed building, recognising its architectural and historic importance to the area.
From its earliest days, St Paul’s has been more than just a building; it has been a place where the people of Sketty gather for life’s key moments; baptisms, weddings, funerals, and Sunday worship.
Over the decades, a line of dedicated clergy and lay volunteers have kept the church’s mission alive. Names like Canon David Akrill-Jones, who served as vicar in the early 20th century, are remembered for their leadership and pastoral care.
Today, St Paul’s is part of the Swansea and Brecon Diocese of the Church in Wales. Services blend tradition with a modern touch. Alongside classic Eucharist services, the church hosts more informal gatherings like Café Church, where tea, coffee, and conversation sit alongside prayer and music.
Children’s ministries, youth groups, and fellowship gatherings are all part of the church’s life. The adjoining parish centre, a more recent addition, provides space for community events, charity fundraisers, and meetings.
St Paul’s continues to adapt to the needs of its community. A recent example of this was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the parish centre became a local vaccination hub. Helping the NHS deliver life saving jabs was just one way the church extended its mission of care beyond the spiritual.
The church also takes part in local heritage events, such as Cadw’s Open Doors programme, welcoming visitors to explore its history and architecture. And at key moments in the year Remembrance Sunday, Christmas, and Easter it serves as a focal point for both religious observance and village gatherings.
The churchyard itself holds war memorials and the resting places of local families, connecting generations past and present.
For all its historic significance, St Paul’s Church remains a living part of Sketty life. Its spire may be Victorian, its bells over 170 years old, but its doors are open to all who seek a place of worship, reflection, or community.
As Sketty continues to grow and change, St Paul’s stands as both a reminder of the village’s roots and a sign of its enduring spirit.
Whether you step inside for a quiet moment, join in Sunday worship, or simply pause to admire its tower from the road, St Paul’s remains, as it has since 1850, a treasured part of Sketty’s landscape.
