St Michael's College, Llandaff
"Bland and uninspired", John Newman
TypeHouse / College
LocationCardiff, Glamorgan
Coordinates51°29′35″N 3°13′07″W / 51.4930°N 3.2187°W / 51.4930; -3.2187
Built1880s-1950s
ArchitectJohn Prichard, F. R. Kempson, George Pace
Architectural style(s)Gothic Revival, Modernist
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameSt Michael's College
Designated25 January 1966
Reference no.13657
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameChapel of St Michael's College
Designated27 April 2004
Reference no.82676
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameApartments 1-3, St Michael's College
Designated25 January 1966
Reference no.81256
St Padarn's Institute is located in Cardiff
St Padarn's Institute
Location of St Michael's College, Llandaff in Cardiff

St Padarn's Institute came into being in 2016. Until then the site belonged to St Michael's College, an Anglican theological college in Llandaff, Wales. St Michael's college was founded in Aberdare in 1892, and was situated in Llandaff from 1907 until 2016.[1] Among its many alumni was the poet R. S. Thomas. The original building on the site was a house constructed for himself by John Prichard. 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 between 1905 and 1907. In the late 1950s, a chapel was built by George Pace. 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

John Prichard was a noted ecclesiastical architect who undertook much church building and restoration in Wales, often in partnership with John Pollard Seddon.[2] He established a practice in Llandaff, Cardiff, becoming 'Resident Diocesan Architect' in December 1844.[3] 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 for the training of priests.[4] The main college buildings were designed by F. R. Kempson and built between 1904 and 1907.[5] In the 1950s, a college chapel was designed by George Pace.[6]

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.[7] 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.[8][9]

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, 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".[4] Prichard's building uses a polychromatic blend of rubble and blue brick with stone dressings, while Kempson deployed sandstone with Bath stone dressings.[5] The most highly regarded building in the complex is the chapel by Pace. Constructed to a Modernist design, Newman notes the influence of Le Corbusier's Notre-Dame du Haut.[4] The chapel is designated a Grade I listed building,[6] while the college,[5] and a block of three apartments within it, are designated Grade II.[10]

Leadership

Wardens of St Michael's College

Principals of St Padarn's Institute

Deans of St Padarn's Institute

Alumni

References

  1. ↑ Walker, David (1976). "Disestablishment and Independence". In Walker, David (ed.). A History of the Church in Wales. Penarth: Church in Wales Publications. p. 181. ISBN 0-85326-0-11-7.
  2. ↑ "John Pollard Seddon 1827–1906".
  3. ↑ Newman 2000, p. 56.
  4. 1 2 3 Newman 1995, p. 258.
  5. 1 2 3 Cadw. "St Michael's College (Grade II) (13657)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  6. 1 2 Cadw. "Chapel of St Michael's College (Grade II*) (82676)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  7. ↑ Baxter, Christina; Pain, Richard; Paterson, Robert; Tiltman, Alan; Jenson, Philip. "A report on the future of theological training in the Church in Wales" (PDF).
  8. ↑ "Church plans new Training Institute for clergy". Church in Wales. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  9. ↑ "Goodbye to St Michael's College, as theological training is reinvented". www.churchtimes.co.uk.
  10. ↑ Cadw. "Apartments 1-3, St Michael's College (Grade II) (81256)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  11. ↑ "Rev'd Dr Peter Sedgwick". Cardiff University. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014.
  12. ↑ "College appoints Acting Principal". The Church in Wales. 7 April 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 Gaylard, Angharad. "Senior Team".
  14. ↑ "Next Anglican Bishop of Lancaster is Rev Dr Jill Duff | The Diocese of Blackburn". www.blackburn.anglican.org.
  15. ↑ "Crockfords Clergy Directory".
  16. ↑ "Crockfords Clergy Directory".

Sources

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