Methodist Church, Mumbles Remembers
Methodist Church, Mumbles Remembers
A Landmark of Faith and Community
A place of Methodist worship has existed on this site for
more than two centuries. The story began in 1814, when a Wesleyan
preaching house was first built in the garden of Mr William Tucker,
providing a modest yet meaningful place of worship for the growing village.
As Mumbles expanded, so too did its congregation. By 1861,
a second chapel had been built and opened on 7th July 1861
to serve the increasing number of local worshippers.
Before long, even that chapel proved too small. The
congregation’s vision for a larger and more permanent church took shape with
the laying of the foundation stone on 12th July 1877, and
less than a year later, the new church was opened for worship on 23rd
May 1878.
Architectural Character and Growth
The new church was designed in a striking blend of Romanesque
and French-Gothic architectural styles. Built of snecked, rock-faced
stone with pale limestone dressings, its impressive façade features
a large rose window, twin stair-towers, and an arched central
doorway that gives it a commanding presence in the village.
Over the years, the church has evolved while preserving its
character. A major refurbishment in 2003 transformed the building into a
vibrant community hub. The ground floor now includes craft and
café spaces, enhanced accessibility, and a more open layout designed
to support both worship and community events.
These changes reflect the congregation’s enduring commitment
to ensure that the church remains not only a house of prayer but also a centre
of fellowship, compassion, and local life.
Remembrance and Reflection
The memorial bears the names of thirteen men from Mumbles
whose families worshipped within these walls — sons, brothers, and fathers who
served and fell during the Great War. Their sacrifice is deeply woven into the
story of both the church and the village.
Together, they represent the full scope of service across land,
sea, and air — men of the Army, Navy, and Royal Flying Corps, each
contributing to the defence of their country and community.
Roll of Honour – The Men Remembered
William Gladstone Bowden
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve – Nelson Battalion, R.N. DivisionDied 17th November 1916
William Gladstone Bowden, born 1899 in Gloucestershire, was the son of James and Alice Bowden of Thistleboon, Mumbles. He served as an Able Seaman and died of wounds during the Somme campaign. He is buried in Contay British Cemetery.
Arthur Rhys Daniel
Welsh Guards – 1st BattalionKilled in Action 17th October 1915
Arthur Rhys Daniel, born 1890 in Blaenavon, Monmouthshire, was the son of Jabez and Jane Daniel of Castleton, Mumbles. One of the first to enlist in the newly formed Welsh Guards, he fell during the Battle of Loos and is buried in Vermelles British Cemetery.
Donald Hamilton Davie
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders – 5th BattalionKilled in Action 25th September 1915
Donald Hamilton Davie, born in Mumbles, served as a Private with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, 5th Battalion. He was killed in action during the Battle of Loos, one of the major offensives of 1915. His name is commemorated on the Loos Memorial and the Mumbles Methodist Church plaque.
William Hammett
Dorsetshire Regiment – 1st BattalionDied 2nd May 1915
William Hammett, born 1895 in Mumbles, was the eldest son of William and Annie Hammett of Cemetery Lodge, Oystermouth. He served as a Private in Flanders, where he died from gas poisoning during the German attack at Hill 60, near Ypres. His name is inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial.
Joseph William Hughes
Royal Navy – Shipwright 1st Class, H.M.S. HawkeDied 14th October 1914
Joseph William Hughes, born 1862 in Rhyl, Flintshire, was a retired Royal Navy shipwright living at Milton, Mumbles, with his wife Emma. Recalled to service at the outbreak of war, he was lost when H.M.S. Hawke was torpedoed in the North Sea. His name is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial and at Mumbles Methodist Church.
Corporal David Rees Wyndham Jones
Rifle Brigade – 3rd BattalionKilled in Action 28th December 1916
David Rees Wyndham Jones, born in Swansea, was connected to the Mumbles congregation. He served with the Rifle Brigade, 3rd Battalion, and was killed in action in France on 28th December 1916. He is buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe.
Thomas Herbert Kift
Royal Field Artillery – “D” Battery, 177th BrigadeDied of Wounds 20th June 1917
Thomas Herbert Kift, born 1895 in Mumbles, was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Kift of Village Lane. He served as a Bombardier in Flanders during the Battle of Messines Ridge and died of wounds. He is buried at Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery.
Joseph Charles Edward Leach
Welsh Regiment – 14th (Swansea) BattalionKilled in Action 10th July 1916
Joseph Charles Edward Leach, born in Swansea, lived in the Mumbles district and enlisted with the “Swansea Pals.” He was killed during the Battle of the Somme and is buried at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval.
William Frederick John Morris
Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) – 2nd BattalionDied of Wounds 2nd June 1918
William Frederick John Morris, born 1891 in Oystermouth, was the son of John and Lucy Morris, who ran a butcher’s shop at Westbourne Place. He died of wounds in hospital at Yutz, Moselle, France, and is buried at Yutz Est Old Cemetery.
Benjamin Ernest Payne
Royal Engineers – 123rd Field CompanyDied 7th July 1916
Benjamin Ernest Payne, born 1893, served as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers during the Battle of the Somme. He died of wounds sustained in action and is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery.
Ernest John Radcliffe
Royal Flying Corps – General List, attached 2 Reserve SquadronDied 20th February 1916
Ernest John Radcliffe, born 1895 in Harringay, London, was the son of Henry and Katie Radcliffe. Serving as a Second Lieutenant pilot, he was killed when his Maurice Farman aircraft crashed during training at Brooklands, Surrey. He was buried in St Pancras Cemetery, London, and is remembered on the Mumbles memorial through family connections.
Herbert John Rogers
Devonshire Regiment – 1st BattalionKilled in Action 18th November 1915
Herbert John Rogers, born 1896 in Mumbles, was the eldest son of Thomas and Alice Rogers of Oystermouth. His father was one of the crew lost in the 1903 Mumbles Lifeboat Disaster. Herbert was killed in action in France and is buried in Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery.
Horace Ralph Strawford
Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’ Own) – 4th BattalionKilled in Action 23rd April 1917
Horace Ralph Strawford, born in Mumbles, served as a Private in the Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’ Own), 4th Battalion. He was killed in action during the Battle of Arras, one of the major spring offensives of 1917, and is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux.
Legacy
For over two hundred years, Mumbles Methodist Church
stood as a steadfast presence in the life of the village — a place of worship,
community, and remembrance. The men named upon its memorial once knelt in its
pews, sang its hymns, and walked its paths to war.
Although the church closed its doors for worship in 2003,
its story did not end there. The building continues to serve the community in a
new way — now home to a coffee shop and social space, where people still
gather in friendship and reflection.
Within its walls, the echoes of hymn and prayer remain. The
memorial tablet dedicated to the thirteen men of Mumbles still preserves their
names, ensuring that their sacrifice and the church’s long legacy of faith,
duty, and fellowship live on in the heart of the village.
May their courage and devotion never be forgotten.
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