All Saints

I grew up in the village of Mumbles where I was christened, confirmed and married in All Saints' Church. As yesterday was All Saints' Day it seemed timely to have a little look at the church that played such a large part in my early life 

Parts of the church are very old. The tower is over 800 years old and was designed to protect the Norman settlers from fiery Welsh attackers. The oldest part of the church though is the Lady Chapel which dates from the 12th century. When my mum and I used to go to church for the 8.00 am Sunday service we always sat in the Lady Chapel, which is just to the side of the main altar and nave.

Immediately behind the high altar is a magnificent reredos. I must have spent hours altogether staring at this instead of paying attention.

There is a lot of stained glass in the church but I want to just mention two windows. One is the window commemorating the 1947 lifeboat tragedy in which all eight crew members were lost.

The other is St. Christopher's window that commemorates the Mumbles Train, the oldest passenger railway in the world. (Allegedly.)

One other thing I should show you. The font possibly from the 13th century. Here it was, dear readers, that I was christened.

There is a lot more information about the church on the website, from where I copied the photos. The only other thing I want to mention is that Thomas Bowdler, he who feared so much for the morals of women and children that he published The Family Shakespeare, suitably censored for an impressionable audience, is buried in the church-yard.

Although I'm no longer inside the Anglican community I am grateful for the foundations put in place by Sunday school, confirmation classes, and even the odd sermon or two. I may not have fully understood what being a Christian meant - having a personal relationship with God - but I was well grounded. And the vicar, Reverend Hughes, throughout my growing-up was lovely.