In 1834 a disagreement occurred at Ebenezer Chapel, Plymouth Street and 54 members of the congregation left, some going to Zion, Twynyrodyn and some to Carmel Chapel in Aberdare.
Because of the distance they had to travel, the worshippers who had gone to Aberdare decided that they should start their own cause in Merthyr, and so began worshipping in a room near St Tydfil’s Church. In 1836 they bought an unfinished chapel in Bryant’s Field, Brecon Road for £25 and completed it at a cost of £350.
By 1842, it was obvious that the chapel was too small, so a new chapel was built on the site of the old building at a cost of £2,200. When it was completed the new chapel was the largest chapel in Wales.
An 1877 photo showing the old Tabernacle Chapel just to right of centre at the top of the photo
By the 1890’s a movement was set in motion by Mrs Davies, wife of Alderman David Davies to provide more comfortable chapel. When Mrs Davies died, Alderman Davies took up the movement and the building of the chapel was begun.
The new chapel was designed by George Morgan of Carmarthen and would eventually cost over £5000 to build – a £1000 of which was raised by the congregation. The new chapel was opened in 1897, and is still holding services today.
In 1793, a schism occurred at Zion Chapel, Twynyrodyn and a group of worshippers left the chapel and began worshipping in a house in Plymouth Street.
Within a year it was decided to build a chapel. A plot of land was acquired opposite the house where the congregation had been worshipping and a chapel which they called Ebenezer was built. Although the official name of the chapel was Ebenezer, for many years, it was known as Capel Isaf (Lower Chapel), with Zion known as Capel Uchaf (Upper Chapel).
Rev William Price, who had not been allowed to preach at Zion Chapel, became Ebenezer’s first minister. Following several prosperous years, Rev Price embarked on a number of collection tours around England on behalf of the chapel funds. As such he was allowed 25% of the funds towards his personal expenses, but questions arose over the authenticity of his expense claims.
Although it was never conclusively proved that there had been any malpractice regarding the funds, and the Baptist Association gave Ebenezer no authority to dismiss him, the congregation, led by a deacon named Evan Lloyd, excommunicated Rev Price and he left the chapel.
In 1808 Rev Maurice Jones was ordained as minister at Ebenezer, and in marked contrast with Rev Price proved to be very devout and popular amongst the members, and under his leadership the congregation grew steadily, and by the time of his death in 1830, it had become obvious that a larger place of worship was needed.
Following Rev Jones death, his assistant Abel Jones became minister and the members decided to build a new chapel. It was soon discovered however that the chapel could not be rebuilt in the same place as the lease on the original plot of land had become invalid due to Rev William Price illegally sub-letting the ground to build several cottages. A new piece of land was obtained for £30 and a new chapel was built in 1831 at a cost of £850
Ebenezer Chapel was plagued by a number of disagreements – in 1834, 52 people left the chapel and eventually established Tabernacle Chapel. In 1902 another serious schism occurred when a number of the congregation left to establish Jerusalem Chapel in Court Street.
In the 1930’s the chapel housed Merthyr’s first ever soup kitchens.
By the 1980’s the congregation had dwindled and the chapel closed. It remained derelict for several years until it was demolished to make way for the Trevithick Gardens housing estate.
Ebenezer shortly before demolition. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
In the early 1800’s some members of the congregation at Zion Chapel, Twynyrodyn wanted to hold services in English to cater for the increasing number of English speaking members of the chapel, so in 1806 a group of worshippers led by William and Martha Matthews and William Baldwin started meeting in a blacksmith’s shop on Tramroadside just behind the present day Hope Chapel.
It was soon found that this location was not ideal due to the noise from the blacksmith, and the group moved to a room above two cottages in Morgan Jones Court, which was situated close to where the present Tesco Store has been built. An application was made on 19 November 1806 for the room to be formally recognised as a place of worship to be called Providence Chapel. This was granted on 1 January 1807, and Rev Daniel Davies was inducted as the first minister of the new place of worship.
Rev Davies, originally from Pembrokeshire, was a very able man and an accomplished preacher, despite the fact that he was blind. At first he was very popular, even preaching at the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel at Pontmorlais, which caused a stir amongst the Calvinistic Methodist Association and also amongst the English Baptists congregation, but ultimately he fell into a less than salubrious lifestyle which angered the church, and he retired in 1812.
By 1813 the congregation had grown to such an extent that it became obvious that a larger place of worship was required. At this time, a chapel became available in Georgetown. It had been built in 1807 by the General Baptists and was called Bethel, but the congregation had quickly dwindled, so the worshippers from Providence Chapel bought the building and grave yard for £200. Following necessary repairs to the building, the new chapel opened in April 1813.
The congregation flourished so by 1826 the chapel had to be rebuilt at a cost of £495 to double the size of the seating. By 1841 the congregation had again grown so it was decided that a new chapel should be built in the town centre. The congregation left Bethel and moved to the new High Street Chapel in June 1841.
A short time after this, members of Ebenezer Chapel in Plymouth Street took over the empty chapel to cater for the members of Ebenezer from that part of the town, thus Bethel became a Welsh Baptist Chapel.
Within twenty years the congregation had dwindled whilst the congregation at the nearby Ainon Chapel grew, so in 1862 the congregations exchanged chapels. By 1893 however, the fortunes of both chapels had reversed so the congregations returned to their original places of worship.
As with most of the chapels in Merthyr, the congregation dwindled during the 1960s, and the chapel closed in the 1970s. Many schemes were mooted to use the building, but none came to fruition, and Bethel sank into dereliction and was eventually demolished in 1983.
One of the most striking features of the chapel was its interior with the seats angled towards the pulpit. This was unique in the Merthyr area. Below are two excellent photographs of the interior of Bethel Chapel courtesy of Mike Donovan.
Our next chapel is one of the oldest and one of the largest chapels in Merthyr – Zion Baptist Chapel, Twynyrodyn.
After the early non-conformist worshippers started meeting at Ynysgau Chapel, the various groups started to split.
In 1710, the Baptists had already built a chapel in Hengoed, and in about 1740, Mr David Lewis – one of the assisting ministers at Hengoed, moved to Merthyr and he soon started holding meetings at his home. In 1786 it is recorded that five or six people were baptised in the River Taff near the Iron Bridge, and it was roughly at this time that the Baptist members of Ynysgau decided to leave and join the group who had been worshipping with David Lewis.
They decided to build their own chapel and work was begun in June 1788, and the chapel was completed in February the following year. Rev Edward Evans, who had been a minister in Carmarthen had recently moved to Merthyr to work in the Iron Works, and he was asked to become Zion’s first minister.
Within a short time however, Rev Evans moved to Hengoed to take charge of the chapel there. The congregation heard of a young preacher named William Price in Carmarthen who had just finished his studies at the Theological College in Bristol. They asked him to come to Zion in 1792 and he was ordained in June of that year. A number of the congregation objected to him however, and a split occurred in the congregation which resulted in William Price and his followers leaving the chapel and starting the cause at Ebenezer Chapel.
Rev Edward Evans immediately returned to Merthyr and took over as Zion’s minister once more. The cause went from strength to strength, and at this time Rev Evans and two of his assistants, David Davies and David Jones established the cause at Bethel, Ynysfelin (later Cwmtaff). Rev Edwards left Zion in 1797.
Under subsequent ministries, the congregation grew and the chapel was extended in 1807 at a cost of £360, and again in 1814.
The chapel was completely rebuilt in 1842 the architect being T H Watt of London, and in 1861 a plot of land was purchased from Mr David Robert Davies in Mountain Hare for £20 and a school room was built there.
The Harrison Pipe Organ at Zion Chapel
In 1892 it was decided to completely renovate the inside of the chapel, building a gallery around three walls, and moving the pulpit in front of the magnificent organ new organ designed by Harrison & Harrison of Durham – one of the finest pipe organs in the borough. The work was carried out in 1900-02 at a cost of almost £4000.
In 1979 a severe storm damaged the roof of the chapel, and the ceiling collapsed on to the organ.
An appeal was launched to raise money to repair the organ, and more than £2000 was raised through donations and also a concert given by the Cefn Coed Male Voice Choir and the tenor Keith Jones.
The organ was repaired by Mr Balch of Cardiff and was finally ready for use by 1984.
Since the early 1990’s services have been held in the vestry, and the chapel has sadly fallen into a very bad state of repair, and has been closed due to health and safety reasons. In December 2013, due to dwindling numbers and the need for unaffordable repairs, the sad decision was made to close the chapel.
The magnificent interior of Zion Chapel in a sorry state of repair shortly before the chapel’s closure in 2013. Photo courtesy of Tony Hyde
Our regular feature on the chapels in Merthyr continues with one of the oldest chapels in Dowlais – Caersalem Welsh Baptist Chapel.
Old Caersalem Chapel in Well Street
At the beginning of the 19th Century, the Baptists of Dowlais had to travel to Zion and Ebenezer Chapels in Merthyr to worship.
In 1817 a Baptist Cause was founded and met in the old Bethel Chapel in the Lower High Street in Dowlais. In 1820 it was decided to build a new chapel, so a plot of land in Well Street, just under 300 square yards was leased from the Dowlais Iron Company for 99 years, at an annual rent of £1.14s.11d, and the chapel was built at a cost of £500. Within three years of opening, the congregation had increased and a gallery had to be built at a cost of £150. Caersalem was still considered as a branch of Zion until 1829 when it gained its independence.
As the congregation grew, a larger building was required and a new chapel designed by Mr William Lewis, foreman carpenter at the Dowlais Ironworks was built in 1833 at a cost of £509.9s.3d.
The congregation grew to such an extent that three new churches were established, originally as branches of Caersalem:- Elim in Penydarren, Hebron and Moriah in Dowlais, and Caersalem was itself refurbished in 1852 at a cost of £650. In 1863 a cottage situated underneath the chapel was converted into a vestry, and in 1873 a baptistery was installed.
By 1883 it became obvious that extensive repairs were needed to the chapel. The exterior of the chapel was redesigned and the interior refurbished and a new pipe organ installed in the gallery. Whilst the renovations were carried out, the congregation met at Tabernacle Chapel in Ivor Street (later Elim Chapel).
In 1906, as a result of the 1904 revival, the vestry beneath the chapel was extended by converting the chapel keeper’s cottage which was next to the original vestry. This work was done by members of the congregation at a cost of £245.
On 30 June 1924, the freehold of the chapel and the three cottages beneath the chapel were purchased from Messrs Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds. The chapel freehold was purchased for one shilling as it was a religious building, but the three cottages were bought for £30 each.
Caersalem Chapel was forced to close and was finally demolished in 1977 due to the redevelopment of Dowlais. A new chapel was built in 1977 in Pant and is still in use.
Religious dissent in the Merthyr area has existed since the middle of the 16th Century. In the 1540’s, a man called Tomos Llewellyn of Rhigos translated William Tyndale’s English translation of the New Testament into Welsh. Llewellyn travelled widely across North Glamorgan and left the seeds of his dissenting beliefs in what was then the village of Merthyr Tydfil. A number of the villagers adopted these beliefs and clung stubbornly to them when the persecution of the Dissenters got underway under the Stuart kings. No matter how stubborn they were in their beliefs, they still had to be converted. If they were found practicing their beliefs, they were given sentences of imprisonment or death.
It is unclear when exactly Non-Conformity started in earnest in Merthyr but we can be sure that it had firmly taken root by the beginning of the 1600’s. The most conclusive evidence regarding the birth of Non-Conformity in Merthyr can be found in the papers of Rev Nathaniel Jones, the rector of the Parish of Merthyr Tydfil between 1640 and 1662. Amongst his papers was found a manuscript, written at some time in the early 1650’s giving a history of the troubles in the town at the time of the Long Parliament – the English Parliament summoned in November 1640 by King Charles I to raise the money he needed to wage the second Bishops’ War against the Scots which eventually led to the English Civil War.
In the manuscript Rev Jones states: “We have, in Merthyr Tydfil parish, a fellowship of men and women, who have for some time been in the habit of holding conventicles, in which some have formulated an ecclesiastical constitution according to their own wishes, contrary to the prevalent laws and regulations of the State Church”. The document emphasizes that this had been going on for about 30 years, so it is safe to argue that the Non-Conformists started holding regular meetings in about 1620. It was then that Non-Conformists from both Merthyr and Aberdare started meeting at Blaencanaid Farm.
Blaencanaid Farm
Under the aegis of Oliver Cromwell, Parliament relaxed the laws against the Non-Conformists and they began to meet openly. Following the restoration of Charles II to the throne however, new stringent laws were passed against Non-Conformity, foremost amongst these was the Conventicle Act of 1664. The Non-Conformist worshippers, who now numbered between 300 – 400, had to return to meeting in secret at Blaencanaid. They were in constant danger of antagonism and arrest, so a number of men were elected as ‘watchers’ to keep watch whilst the meetings were taking place and warn the worshippers of any imminent danger. Despite all of their difficulties the congregation flourished, so a new meeting place was found at a barn belonging to Cwm-y-Glo Farm. As well as being larger, the new meeting place was more secluded and thus safer than Blaencanaid.
In 1689 the Toleration Act was passed which granted freedom of worship to all Dissenters. As a result the worshippers at Cwm-y-Glo decided to build a proper chapel for themselves. The landowner, Captain David Jenkins, granted them permission to build a chapel at Cwm-y-Glo which was completed in 1690. The congregation at Cwm-y-Glo at this time comprised of many different groups – Quakers, Presbyterians, Arminians and Anabaptists.
The Ruins of Cwm-y-Glo Chapel
For many years, all went peacefully at Cwm-y-Glo until disputes arose over points of religious dogma, and a bitter argument followed. This is not surprising since the congregation of Dissenters comprised many different denominations. The main split came in 1741 when the Unitarians left to establish their own church at Hen Dy Cwrdd, Cefn Coed. In 1752, Cwm-y-Glo itself was closed when the remaining congregation moved to their new chapel in Merthyr town – Ynysgau.
Ynysgau Chapel
Non-conformity was firmly established by the end of the 18th Century. The Baptists established Zion Chapel in 1788 and Ebenezer Chapel in 1794, the Calvinistic Methodists established Pennsylvania (Pontmorlais) Chapel in 1793, and the Independents managed to establish Zoar Chapel in 1798 and Bethesda in 1807 as well as having acquired Ynysgau. Lastly, the Wesleyans established their chapel in 1796.
Between 1789 and 1850, at least forty places of worship were licensed in Merthyr, Dowlais and Penydarren alone.
