The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon was established as a Diocese of the

Church in Wales The Church in Wales ( cy, Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru) is an Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The pos ...

in 1923 with

Brecon Priory Brecon Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Aberhonddu), in the town of Brecon, Powys, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon in the Church in Wales and seat of the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon. Previously the church of Brecon Priory ...

as the cathedral. The area of the diocese had formerly been the

Archdeaconry An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that of mo ...

of Brecon within the Diocese of St Davids. The diocese has a border with each of the other five Welsh dioceses, as well as with the English

Diocese of Hereford The Diocese of Hereford is a Church of England diocese based in Hereford, covering Herefordshire, southern Shropshire and a few parishes within Worcestershire in England, and a few parishes within Powys and Monmouthshire in Wales. The cathedral i ...

. Edward Latham Bevan was made

Assistant Bishop An assistant bishop in the Anglican Communion is a bishop appointed to assist a diocesan bishop. Church of England In the established Church of England, assistant bishops are usually retired (diocesan or suffragan) bishops – in which case the ...

in the Diocese of St Davids as Bishop of Swansea in 1915, and in 1923 he was elected as the first

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

of the new diocese.

The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon

After the 9th Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Davies retired on 2nd May 2021, the process of electing a new bishop began. After the electoral college held at

St Mary's Church, Swansea St Mary's Collegiate and Parish Church is an Anglican church in the centre of Swansea, Wales, UK. It is considered the Civic Church of Swansea. There was a church on the site of St Mary's since ''circa'' 1328, erected by Henry de Gower, Bishop ...

was unable to elect a bishop with the requisite two-thirds majority, it fell to the Bench of Bishops to choose a new bishop. On the 4th November 2021 the Bench announced that they had chosen the Archdeacon of Wrexham, John Lomas to be the 10th Bishop of Swansea and Brecon. This election was confirmed at a Sacred Synod held at

St Giles' Church, Wrexham St Giles' Parish Church ( cy, Eglwys San Silyn) is the parish church of Wrexham, Wales. The church is recognised as one of the finest examples of ecclesiastical architecture in Wales and is a Grade I listed building, described by Sir Simon Jenkin ...

on 22 November 2021.

Senior clergy in the diocese

The current

Dean of Brecon Brecon Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Aberhonddu), in the town of Brecon, Powys, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon in the Church in Wales and seat of the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon. Previously the church of Brecon Priory ...

Paul Shackerley Paul Shackerley (born 16 August 1956) is an Anglican priest of the Church in Wales and is the current dean of Brecon. Education Shackerley studied for ordination at Chichester Theological College from 1991 to 1993, gaining a Diploma in Theolog ...

. The current Archdeacons of the diocese are: *

Brecon Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the c ...

— Alan Jevons *

Gower Gower ( cy, Gŵyr) or the Gower Peninsula () in southwest Wales, projects towards the Bristol Channel. It is the most westerly part of the historic county of Glamorgan. In 1956, the majority of Gower became the first area in the United Kingdom ...

— Jonathan Davies * With responsibility for Ministry Areas — Peter Brooks

Archdeaconries and deaneries

The original deaneries were Brecon I, Brecon II, Crickhowell, Hay, Builth, Maelienydd, Swansea, Cwmtawe, Gower, Clyne, Penderi, Llwchwr and Knighton.

The Bishop of Swansea and Brecon

Senior clergy in the diocese

Archdeaconries and deaneries

List of churches

Afon Tawe (Swansea) Deanery

Closed churches in the area

Greater Brecon Deanery

Closed churches in the area

Greater Gower Deanery

Closed churches in the area

Radnor and Builth Deanery

Closed churches in the area

References