New exhibition tells the story of Norwegians in south Wales

A new exhibition in Cardiff is telling the story of the Norwegians who came to south Wales in the mid 1800s as seamen and merchants servicing the coal trade. It opened on Norwegian National Day, 17^th May, and will run until the end of June 2023. For opening hours, please check the website of the Norwegian Church Arts Centre at https://www.norwegianchurchcardiff.com/

At one point there were so many Norwegians in South Wales that the Norwegian Seamen’s Mission established four churches – in Cardiff, Swansea, Barry and Newport – to serve not only as places of worship, but also as community centres, libraries, and providers of welfare and communication for people far from home. 

As the coal trade declined, and congregations became more integrated into Welsh society, the churches closed. However, the buildings in Cardiff and Swansea were preserved, albeit on new sites, and now the Cardiff church is the home of a thriving arts and cultural centre and café. 

Thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant and with the support of the Norwegian Seamen’s Mission in Bergen, heritage officer Thomas Alexander Husøy-Ciaccia has been tracing the story of the churches in south Wales and their communities, and has curated the new exhibition at the Norwegian church in Cardiff Bay. 

In a new video Thomas tells Kevin Burden of the Welsh Norwegian Society about the churches’ place in the rapid changes in Wales in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Heritage Officer Thomas Husøy-Ciaccia explains the story of Norwegians in south Wales