Brecon was a centre of Catholic recusancy and has been served by a resident Catholic priest almost continuously since 1788. The present small Gothic church and adjoining presbytery date from 1851 and were designed by the Bristol architect Charles Hansom. The exterior of the church has been little altered. The interior has been redecorated and re-ordered but retains much of its original character. The adjoining parish hall was previously a cinema and originated as a house. Although on a constricted site, together the church, presbytery and hall make a notable and positive contribution to the Brecon Conservation Area.
After the Reformation a stable population of about a hundred Catholics managed to survive in this part of Wales, but until the end of the eighteenth century they were served only by visiting priests. In 1788 Bishop Charles Walmesley OSB, Vicar Apostolic of the Western District, appointed a Franciscan, Fr John Williams, as resident priest. He raised sufficient funds to buy the old Three Cocks Inn as a chapel and a residence for the priest, and was also able to let out part of the building to a pastry cook to provide an income. In 1826 there were two priests in the town, George Gildart and Michael Havard, a member of a prominent Brecon family, many of whom farmed in the Senni Valley. He was followed by Lewis Havard, who served as priest in Brecon until 1850. By this time there were about 200 regular Catholic worshippers and a new and larger place of worship was required. Local fundraising was supplemented by a large donation from a Mr Howard of Corby. A design for a new building on the site of the old chapel was commissioned from the Catholic architect Charles Hansom of Bristol and a new church and presbytery were erected to his designs and opened on 6 August 1851. The church seated 150 and cost £1000. The Silurian reported on 9 August:
The very handsome little church, erected on the site of the old Catholic chapel in Wheat Street, was opened with the usual solemnities on Wednesday last. The design of the exterior is very beautiful, and from some points of view, forms a very ornamental feature in the general ensemble of the town, but, unfortunately, it is deprived of much of its architectural effect by the close proximity of other buildings. The congregation was not very large, though it included several highly respectable families of the Catholic persuasion from neighbouring counties, as well as many Protestants from the town and country.
In 1899 the Spanish soprano Adelina Patti, who lived at Craig-y-Nos Castle on the edge of the Black Mountain, married her third husband in the church.
Adjoining the main front of the church in Wheat Street is a double-fronted stuccoed house of early nineteenth century character (the list entry says it is later nineteenth century), which now serves as the parish hall. In 1919 this building was converted to become the Electrotheatre Cinema with seating for 400, and continued in this use until 1925. It was later acquired for church use.
In 2010 the church and presbytery were renovated under the supervision of Fr Ross Patterson and the interior of the church was repainted and re-carpeted.
Description
See list entries for church, presbytery (including boundary wall) and St Mary’s Hall (front wing), which were revised and expanded in May 2024, following Taking Stock:
Presbytery: Listed Buildings – Full Report – HeritageBill Cadw Assets – Reports (cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net)
Architect: Charles Hansom
Original Date: 1851
Conservation Area: Yes
Listed Grade: Grade II
