The recent purchase of Bethel Chapel in Sketty by the Islamic Al-Khoei Benevolent Foundation based in London, has sparked significant concern among local residents and the Friends of Bethel Chapel Cemetery group. The new owners have embarked on unauthorised building work work on this Grade 2 listed property, raising alarms about the future of the historic site and its neglected graveyard.
The community's distress is palpable as the once-tended cemetery suffers from neglect, with long grass and potential hazards making it unsafe for visitors. The committee has made multiple attempts to collaborate with the new owners to establish maintenance plans, only to be met with claims of insufficient funds. This stands in stark contrast to the attempted building work within the chapel itself. Unauthorised removal of fittings such as church pews with chainsaws and use of heavy machinery have been documented, violating the necessary Listed Building Consent and planning permissions.
The swift response from Swansea Council’s Planning Enforcement and Cadw, the body safeguarding Wales’ historic places, has brought temporary relief. Work has been halted, and the new owners must now submit formal plans for assessment.
The Friends of Bethel Chapel extend their heartfelt gratitude to the vigilant individual who reported the unauthorised work, Councillor James McGettrick, and the proactive Swansea Council officers. Their combined efforts have momentarily preserved the site’s integrity. However, the fight is far from over. Local residents are urged to remain watchful for any further unauthorised activities. Reporting such instances to the Friends group or directly to the council is essential.
The committee also acknowledges the frustration and disappointment felt by many, especially after the ‘Meet and Greet’ event where the new owners assured the community of their good intentions. The owners’ subsequent actions, however, contradict their promises, particularly regarding the cemetery's upkeep and the protection of historic elements like stained glass panels and war memorials.
There are many rumors circulating about the true purpose of the new owners' plans. While the Imam Khoei Islamic Centre representatives have repeatedly stated that the chapel will serve as a community and educational centre, some believe it may become a mosque. The committee has vowed to seek clarification, though past interactions suggest that obtaining a truthful response might be challenging.
Despite verbal reassurances that burial rights will be honored, the committee seeks written confirmation to ensure these promises are upheld. The Friends group remains skeptical but continues to advocate for a resolution that respects the community’s heritage and the rights of those with family buried at Bethel.
Efforts to collaborate with the new owners for cemetery maintenance have been met with reluctance, placing the burden on the Friends group to raise funds and organise volunteers without any formal agreement. This situation is untenable, and the committee is wary of accepting responsibilities without legal guarantees.
The Friends of Bethel Chapel encourage community members to join their efforts. Volunteers are needed to serve on their committee, and to help with general maintenance, although current unsafe conditions limit organised work. The committee continues to press for public liability insurance from the new owners to ensure volunteer safety.
It is understood that the Trustees of Bethel Chapel finalised the sale in April this year without consulting community stakeholders, including relatives of those interred at the site.
In recent years, the Trustees re-registered the charity under a new name, Bethel Independent Chapel Sketty, Eglwys Annibynnol Bethel Sgeti, amending its objectives to focus on evangelical missions. Notably, references to the Trustees’ responsibilities for the chapel and graveyard were removed. This administrative change paved the way for the sale of the property, which includes a three-bedroom semi-detached house estimated to be worth in excess of £300,000.
Residents have voiced frustration at what they see as a lack of openness from both the Trustees and the chapel’s Minister, the Revd Jill Hailey Harries. “The community trusted Bethel Chapel to care for our loved ones’ graves,” one resident said. “Now, we don’t even know if we can visit them, let alone be buried in family plots we thought were ours.”
Bethel Chapel has deep roots in the local community. Founded by Welsh Independent churchmen to serve a mining district, its graveyard was, for many years, the only burial ground in the area. The chapel, vestry, and superintendent’s house were built to serve a thriving congregation that has since dwindled.
Mounting costs, including an annual £15,000 bill for grass cutting and significant repair needs placed the chapel under severe financial pressure. The Trustees sold off some property and invested in the superintendent’s house, but these measures failed to resolve the financial strain.
The fate of the graveyard now remains uncertain. Neither the Trustees, the Minister, nor the new owners have clarified how they will meet the ongoing obligations to maintain the site and safeguard the memorials. Marketing materials for the sale described the property as a “Redevelopment Opportunity,” with no mention of preservation.
Critics say the lack of consultation flies in the face of best practice followed by other denominations, such as the Methodists, who stress the importance of dialogue and fair compensation in similar cases.
For now, the local community remains in limbo. Families continue to demand answers, pressing for assurances that the graves will be respected and maintained. The chapel, once a centre of community life, now stands as a symbol of the pressures facing many historic places of worship; and the tensions that arise when heritage, faith, and finance collide.
Please click the image link below this post to join the Friends of Bethel Chapel Facebook group. Secretary Fiona Nixon put it best; there is strength in our numbers and we will stand together to fight for what is right. We don't just do this for ourselves. We are fighting for justice for all of us, for our rights to visit our relatives and loved ones, to honour the wishes of people wishing to be buried or interred in this lovely cemetery and also for our community that might just want to walk through or sit for a while in this beautiful and peaceful place. We do this for both the living and the dead and for now and for the future.
