St Padarn's Institute came into being in 2016. Until then the site belonged to St Michael's College, an

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

theological college A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

Llandaff Llandaff (; cy, Llandaf ; from 'church' and '' Taf'') is a district, community and coterminous electoral ward in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It was incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Bishop of Llandaff, whose ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. St Michael's college was founded in

Aberdare Aberdare ( ; cy, Aberdâr) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tyd ...

in 1892, and was situated in Llandaff from 1907 until 2016. Among its many alumni was the poet

R. S. Thomas Ronald Stuart Thomas (29 March 1913 – 25 September 2000), published as R. S. Thomas, was a Welsh poet and Anglican priest ( Church of Wales) noted for nationalism, spirituality and dislike of the anglicisation of Wales. John Betjeman, introduc ...

. The original building on the site was a house constructed for himself by

John Prichard John Prichard (6 May 1817 – 13 October 1886) was a Welsh architect in the neo-Gothic style. As diocesan architect of Llandaff, he was involved in the building or restoration of many churches in south Wales. Personal history John Prichard wa ...

. After his death, that building was incorporated into the newly-founded St Michael's College, which was built mainly to the designs of

F. R. Kempson __NOTOC__ Frederick Roberston Kempson (1838 – 1923) was an English architect. Known as F. R. Kempson, he was born at Stoke Lacy in Herefordshire to William Brooke Kempson (1796 - 1859), the Rector (ecclesiastical)#Anglican churches, rector o ...

between 1905-1907. In the late 1950s, a chapel was built by

George Pace George Gaze Pace, (31 December 1915 – 23 August 1975) was an English architect who specialised in ecclesiastical works. He was trained in London, and served in the army, before being appointed as surveyor to a number of cathedrals. Mo ...

. The college had significant financial problems in the early 21st century and was eventually closed. The site was purchased by the Church in Wales in 2016 to be used as a residential training college for its full time ministers.

History and development

was a noted ecclesiastical architect who undertook much church building and restoration in Wales, often in partnership with

John Pollard Seddon John Pollard Seddon FRIBA (19 September 1827 – 1 February 1906) was a British architect, working largely on churches. His father was a cabinetmaker, and his brother Thomas Seddon (1821–1856) a landscape painter. Born in London, he was educa ...

. He established a practice in

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

, becoming 'Resident Diocesan Architect' in December 1844. In the mid-1860s, he began the building of a house, and attached office on the site of the future St Michael's. Following his death in 1886, control passed to the Church of England, which began the building of a residential

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

for the training of priests. The main college buildings were designed by F. R. Kempson and built between 1904-1907. In the 1950s, a college chapel was designed by

. In 2016, following a review, ''A report on the future of theological training in the Church in Wales'', the college closed as a residential centre, with the training of priests devolved to individual dioceses. St Padarn's Institute took over the old St Michael's buildings and the mandate for training Welsh Priests and other licensed ministers was centralised at St Padarn's at the end of 2016. The Cardiff site became the home for residential and administration activities, but with training taking place under the name of St Padarn's Institute for all Church in Wales licensed and ordained ministers across the whole of Wales. Postgraduate courses in Chaplaincy studies, Youth, Children and Family Specialisms and general Theology developed under the umbrella of St Padarn's, with students attending from all parts of the UK. A strong doctoral programme has also developed there. Through a programme called Theology for Life St Padarns also provides a part time degree course to hundreds of people across Wales.

Architecture and description

The architectural historian John Newman, writing in his ''Glamorgan''

Pevsner Pevsner or Pevzner is a Jewish surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Aihud Pevsner (1925–2018), American physicist * Antoine Pevsner (1886–1962), Russian sculptor, brother of Naum Gabo * David Pevsner, American actor, singer, dan ...

, describes the design of Prichard's office and house as "sprightly". He is less complimentary about F. R. Kempson's large-scale additions for the college, which he considers "bland and uninspired". Prichard's building uses a

polychromatic Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors. Ancient Egypt Colossal statue ...

blend of

rubble Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture; undressed especially as a filling-in. Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as 'brash' (compare cornbrash)."Rubble" def. 2., "Brash n. 2. def. 1. ''Oxford English Dictionary ...

and blue brick with stone dressings, while Kempson deployed

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

with

Bath stone Bath Stone is an oolitic limestone comprising granular fragments of calcium carbonate. Originally obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines under Combe Down, Somerset, England. Its honey colouring gives the World Heritage City of ...

dressings. The most highly regarding building in the complex is the chapel by Pace. Constructed to a

Modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

design, Newman notes the influence of

Le Corbusier Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , , ), was a Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, urban planner, writer, and one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture. He was ...

Notre-Dame du Haut Notre-Dame du Haut ( en, Our Lady of the Heights; full name in french: Chapelle Notre-Dame du Haut) is a Roman Catholic chapel in Ronchamp, France. Built in 1955, it is one of the finest examples of the architecture of Franco-Swiss architect Le C ...

. The chapel is designated a

Grade I listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

, while the college, and a block of three apartments within it, are designated Grade II.

Leadership

Wardens of St Michael's College

Glyn Simon William Glyn Hughes Simon (14 April 1903 – 14 June 1972) was a Welsh prelate who served as the Anglican Archbishop of Wales from 1968 to 1971. Early life Simon was born in Swansea, where his father was curate at St Gabriel's church. He was bapt ...

(later Bishop of Llandaff and Archbishop of Wales) *

Eryl Stephen Thomas Eryl Stephen Thomas (20 October 1910 – 6 December 2001) was a Welsh Anglican clergyman who served as Bishop of Monmouth and Bishop of Llandaff. An Anglesey man, after education at St John's College, Oxford, Eryl Thomas served curacies in th ...

(later Bishop of Monmouth and Bishop of Llandaff) * Harold John Charles (later Bishop of St Asaph) * O. G. Rees * John Hughes (later Bishop of Kensington) * John Rowlands * John Holdsworth * Peter Sedgwick 2004-2014 * Mark Clavier (Acting principal) 2014-2016

Principals of St Padarn's Institute

* Revd Professor Jeremy Duff (married to

Jill Duff Jillian Louise Calland Duff (called Jill; Worsley; born 1972) is a British Anglican bishop. Since 2018, she has been the Bishop of Lancaster, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Blackburn. Previously, she had been Director of St Mellitus C ...

, the Bishop of Lancaster)

Deans of St Padarn's Institute

* Revd Dr Manon Ceridwen James * Revd Dr Mark Griffiths JP

Alumni

Leonard Hodgson Leonard Hodgson (24 October 1889 in Fulham, London – 15 July 1969 in Leamington Spa) was an Anglican priest, philosopher, theologian, historian of the early Church and Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford from 1944 to 1958. ...

Alwyn Rice Jones Alwyn Rice Jones (25 March 1934 – 12 August 2007) was Bishop of St Asaph from 1981 to 1999 and also Archbishop of Wales, the Welsh province of the Anglican Communion, from 1991 to 1999. During Rice Jones' tenure, the Church of Wales refor ...

(Bishop of St Asaph and Archbishop of Wales) *

(poet and priest) * John David Edward Davies (Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Swansea and Brecon) * Gregory Kenneth Cameron (Bishop of St Asaph) * John Wyn Evans (Bishop of St David's) *

Richard Pain Richard Edward Pain (born 21 September 1956) is a retired Anglican bishop. From 2013 to 2019, he served as Bishop of Monmouth in the Church in Wales. Early life Pain was born on 21 September 1956. He completed degrees at Bristol University and C ...

(Bishop of Monmouth) * Paul Groves (poet and critic) *

Martin Dudley Martin Raymond Dudley (born 31 May 1953) is an English author and politician. A former Anglican priest, he served as a City of London councillor, common councilman and authored various books about the Christian Church. Until 31 December 2016, h ...

(priest) * Raymond Roberts (Chaplain of the Fleet)

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Michael's College, Llandaff Anglican seminaries and theological colleges Church in Wales Educational institutions established in 1892 1892 establishments in Wales Llandaff Grade II listed buildings in Cardiff Grade II* listed buildings in Cardiff Former theological colleges in Wales