What you see today didn’t begin with shovels or stones.
It started with a dream.
Years before a single path was laid or a single flower planted, there was a vision – to turn a forgotten, overgrown graveyard into a space of beauty, remembrance, and community. A place that honoured the stories of those who came before us, while offering hope and welcome to those here today.
More than eight years ago, we stood on the steps of Matthew’s House, looking at a locked, overgrown graveyard, a place forgotten by time, yet still holding the memories of thousands who rest here.
We imagined something more:
A garden that honoured the dead and served the living.
A space to remember and restore.
A place for quiet and community.
A bold, brave transformation rooted in love.
Here are some photos of how it looked back then, a space hidden behind locked gates, covered in weeds, and unsafe for visitors. These pictures remind us how far we’ve come.
But dreams take more than ideas. They take time, grit, and teamwork. We spent years chasing permissions, building partnerships, rallying support, and navigating real-life challenges. What we didn’t expect were the surprises, setbacks, and deep resilience it would take to finally bring Greenhill Gardens to life.
Despite our best efforts, the Graveyard to Matthew’s House remained a difficult and often dangerous space for many years. With the help of our much-loved gardener Roger and a faithful team of volunteers, we cut back weeds, cleared rubbish, and did what we could to keep the area tidy.
But the graveyard had suffered decades of neglect. Many headstones had fallen and been carefully laid flat for safety, while others cracked or eroded beyond recognition. Brickwork and boundary walls crumbled, and sections of the grounds had to be sealed off entirely to protect visitors, with some accidents over time.
We worked hard with what we had, but it was clear this historic site needed more than maintenance, it needed a vision.
In 2020, we began planning in earnest. We dreamed of creating an outdoor space that reflected the heart of Matthew’s House: a place as special, welcoming, and full of life as the work happening inside our building. That dream became the foundation of Greenhill Gardens.
The transformation of Greenhill Gardens has been a journey of grit, generosity, and countless hands working together. Here’s how the final phase unfolded:
Early 2021 – Design & Applications Begin
Architectural designs, permissions, and funding applications started in earnest. This two-year phase laid the groundwork for everything to come, building momentum and support for a bold vision. Thanks to Joe and Victoria from Victoria Wade Architects for helping us bring our vision to life and thanks to all who put in letters of support from our community and those with loved ones buried on site. Schools and local support services, communities and people shared the dream with us.
8 December 2022 – Funding Confirmed
The National Lottery Heritage Fund gave us the green light with a major grant. This was the breakthrough that turned a dream into a plan and set everything in motion. They have been an incredible friend and funder to us through the whole journey!
February – March 2025 – Archaeology in Action
Extensive archaeological work began, but years of neglect meant many headstones had sunk, become overgrown, or overturned, making it impossible to fully complete at this stage. Permission was given to proceed, with archaeologists remaining onsite under a “watching brief” for every stage of heavy works and ground movement to ensure the site’s history was protected. Their efforts culminated in a 420-page report shared with us in August 2025.
March 2025 – Permission to Begin
After years of design work, consultations, and planning, we received official approval to start physical work on site.
April 2025 – Groundworks Begin
Construction kicked off, but within weeks we discovered over 55 hollow graves. This required a reassessment of the site’s structure, safety measures, and budget, a challenge that reshaped the project and needed a lot more support. These challenges increased the cost by more than £28k which should have been much more but the support from the contractors and supporters kept it to this which we are extremely grateful for. Then after exhausting every avenue of support over a two week period we managed to gain an increase in support from the heritage lottery to help us complete the project in it’s entirety.
May – June 2025 – Major Works & Volunteer Power
The site came alive with activity: drainage installed, pathways prepared, gabion habitat walls built, and painting underway. Volunteers worked tirelessly alongside contractors despite weather delays, missing materials, and unexpected underground challenges.
July 2025 – Planting & Flooring Prep
More than 24 volunteers a week joined us at certain periods! we even invited guests in to help who supporting the planting, moving and watering. Some of our volunteer teams included teams from DVLA, Admiral, Caredig, Dawsons, and our own Matthew’s House family. Rubber resin flooring faced delivery issues but was successfully completed in early August. It felt at times like a full citywide effort!
August 2025 – Trails, Signage & Details
Heritage trail audio was recorded for both the children’s and main trails, signage was installed, and planting completed. We finished the kitchen area, tested the pizza oven, and installed dog huts that quickly became a daily feature. Archaeologists also delivered their full 420-page report this month, documenting the site’s findings for future generations.
September 2025 – The Finishing Touches
Lighting, benches, railings, and a new gazebo purchased as the final pieces came together. Launch planning was in full swing, ready for the big celebration. Heritage trail was finalised and testes and a whole lot of pizza practise and eating!!!
Launch Day: Saturday 20th September 2025
Music, pizza, a choir, and stories will bring this space to life. The launch marks not just the end of a project, but the beginning of a new chapter – a beautiful, shared community space for Swansea.
This garden has been shaped by hundreds of hands:
Guests helping carry tiles and branches.
Volunteers returning week after week in the rain.
Contractors going above and beyond.
Donors, funders, and local businesses giving resources, time, and expertise.
Young people voicing heritage trails.
Families remembering loved ones.
Swansea citizens watching it grow, offering bricks, cheering us on.
From pizza ovens to grave engravings, compost to crypts, we’ve adapted, overcome, and grown something that now belongs to all of us.
More than 4,000 people were buried here.
Now, we honour them — with sculpture, story, and space to breathe.
This is a place of:
Memory — headstones restored, names being engraved for the first time.
Heritage — audio trails, school visits, and generations learning where they come from.
Hope — a place to sit, meet, reflect, and heal.
It’s been hard. It’s been holy. It’s been worth it.
“Come walk the paths. Hear the stories. Share the space.”
Welcome to Greenhill Gardens.
Matthew’s House is an award-winning community project, recognised with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and named one of the Big Issue Changemakers of 2025. We exist to bring hope and hospitality to those facing homelessness, mental health struggles, addiction, and isolation — creating a place where no one faces life alone.
