HELP US CARE FOR BETHEL SKETTY CEMETERY

Welcome to our Website and thank you for your interest in Bethel Sketty Cemetery.  The Cemetery is situated in the west of the city of Swansea, between the communities of Sketty and Ty Coch, and is a cherished green space, affording views down to Swansea Bay.  Dating from the early decades of 1800s, this 4 acre site is home to over 4,000 graves and an estimated 11,000 souls.  There are many graves of historical interest, most notably our many Commonwealth War Graves and those of casualties of Swansea's Three Nights' Blitz, as well as those of ordinary people whose lives tell the tale of the development of our community and of Swansea in general.  Artists, writers, local entrepreneurs, scientists, academics and adventurers have been laid to rest here.  The stories of their lives, and contributions to our city, continue to inspire us every day.
 
As a Friends group we wish to preserve safe access to the resting place of our family members and loved ones, and ensure those who expect to be buried or interred in their family plots may do so. We wish to restore Bethel's long history of being a pleasant place for family plot owners and the local community to visit. We also seek to ensure that burial records are properly and securely maintained, after a period of neglect by the former owners.

The Cemetery, along with Bethel Chapel and a neighbouring property, was sold in April 2024 to the Islamic Al-Khoei Benevolent Foundation based in London, with the Imam Khoei Islamic Centre Swansea to manage and run the site.  Their aim is to turn the vestry and Chapel in to a Youth and Community Education Centre, providing Islamic culture, youth and community activities.  

The committee of the Friends Group are continuing to meet with the Imam Khoei Islamic Centre, Swansea to secure a way forward that protects the Cemetery and respects everything it has to offer to our whole community.  We hope you will join us on our journey.  Thank you all for your interest and support.