St John the Baptist's Church, Swansea

Heritage listing

History: 1878-80. By H Woodyer, architect of Guildford; D Morgan, contractor of Swansea. Original scheme included 3-aisled church with tall SW tower. Perpendicular style. Exterior: Plan of twin aisles to nave and E end. Snecked rubble facings, Bath stone dressings, slate roofs. E front has parapeted gables with cross-finials flanked by slender buttresses (finials to right gable only), linked hoodmoulds, cill band and plinths, 6 and 7-light traceried windows. 7-bay N elevation with buttresses linked by depressed super-arches, Y-tracery windows to centre bays, moulded doorway to right. 3-bay settlement SE chapel with large 4-light Y-tracery windows. Twin gabled W front with canopied bell-cote on head corbels to right, rectangular frame to doorway set in pointed frame with quatrefoil. Paired 4-light traceried windows with centre buttress to left. Interior: Interior has undivided chancel and nave with S organ chamber/vestry and S aisle. Open collar-beam roofs with ornamental tie-rods, moulded purlins and wind braces. Panelled arch over polygonal chancel responds. 5 bay arcade with polygonal columns and heavily-moulded 4-centred arches, panelled screen to vestry, rere-arches and nook shafts to windows. Furnishings include highly carved Gothic choir stalls. Location: Set in a railed churchyard with twin E gables facing down Graham Street; W front overlooking valley with St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church opposite.

From Cadw under OGL v3.