Merthyr’s Chapels: Smyrna Chapel, Aberfan

The latest chapel in our ongoing series is Smyrna Baptist Chapel in Aberfan.

After Rev James Lewis became minister of Carmel Chapel, Troedyrhiw, in the 1860s, he started a Sunday School in Aberfan. This was held firstly at a private house and then in the long room of the old Red Cow public house.

As the congregation grew Rev Lewis and two of his deacons – William Jones and William Philip Price decided to build their own place of worship, and in 1879 a plot of land was leased from Mrs Rowland Griffiths of Aberfan House for £2.10s.0d., and a small chapel was built by William Lloyd, a member of Carmel Chapel, for the sum of £750.

By the turn of the 20th Century, the congregation had grown sufficiently for a new chapel to be built. It was decided to build the chapel on a larger plot of land adjoining the original chapel. The new chapel was built by the Spratt Brothers of Merthyr and was completed in 1902 at a cost of £1,874. The original chapel was joined on to the new chapel to be used as a vestry.

During the Aberfan Disaster, Smyrna Chapel was the first building to be opened to aid the rescuers, with the vestry used as a refreshment centre and the chapel as a casualty centre for the rescuers. In the aftermath of this, due to the inevitable mess caused, the chapel had to close for restoration. When this was completed a special service was held to re-open and re-dedicate the chapel.

The new chapel was demolished in 2002, but the original chapel remains and has been refurbished for use by the community.