The next chapel in our ongoing series is Brynhyfryd Baptist Chapel in Treharris.
In 1879, members of Berthlwyd Baptist Chapel in Quakers Yard started meeting in the house of Mr & Mrs Davies in Penn Street, Treharris, the first service being conducted by Rev Iorwerth Jones from Berthlwyd. The following month the small congregation started meeting at the Assembly Room at the Navigation Hotel.
Having met for over a year at the Navigation Hotel, the small congregation had grown considerably and it was decided that they should build their own chapel. A piece of land was acquired, and firstly a schoolroom was built. The architect was Rev Edward Roberts of Pontypridd, and the builder was Mr D E Jones of the Navigation Hotel. The building was started in August or September 1880, and the schoolroom was opened on Easter Sunday 1881, the building costing £350.
On 25 July 1881, Rev Arthur Davies was inducted as Brynhyfryd Chapel’s first minister, and the following month work began on building the main chapel. Rev Edward Roberts was again the architect and Mr John Rees of Treharris was the builder, and the chapel was built under the supervision of Mr Thomas Roderick of Aberdare. The chapel was opened on 13 May 1882 and was completed at a cost of £2,360.
In 1896 a pipe organ was installed by Messrs Davies Bros, Swansea at a cost of £320, and in 1901 Brynhyfryd Chapel purchased the empty Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Chapel in Quakers Yard and opened a branch there.
Brynhyfryd Chapel closed in the early 2000’s and is now empty.