Church in Wales. Diocese of Swansea and Brecon

Corporate body

Church in Wales. Diocese of Swansea and Brecon

• Church in Wales. Esgobaeth Abertawe ac Aberhonddu
• Diocese of Swansea and Brecon (Church in Wales)

The diocese of Swansea and Brecon was created on 1 July 1923 from the existing diocese of St. Davids, comprising the archdeaconry of Brecon and the rural deaneries of East and West Gower. Geographically, this comprises the old counties of Brecon and Radnor (except for a few border parishes), the Swansea Valley, and the Gower Peninsula. The decision to create the diocese was taken by a committee appointed by the Governing Body of the recently disestablished Church in Wales, as the old diocese of St Davids (then the largest bishopric in England and Wales) was considered too large in area. The diocese is divided into two archdeaconries, the ancient archdeaconry of Brecon and the archdeaconry of Gower, created in 1923 on the formation of the diocese. The first bishop, Edward Latham Bevan, who had been consecrated Suffragen Bishop of Swansea in 1915, was installed on 14 September 1923.

The former Priory Church of St John the Evangelist, Brecon, became the cathedral church of the new diocese in September 1923. The church was adapted to serve as a cathedral and the buildings in the close were returned for the use of the Dean and Chapter to serve as vestries and accommodation for the clergy. In recent years some of these buildings have been converted into a Diocesan Centre, Heritage Centre, shop and restaurant. Ely Tower in Brecon was offered by Lord Tredegar to be the residence of the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon.

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