Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru.

(History of the Welsh Independent Churches)

By Thomas Rees & John Thomas; 4 volumes (published 1871+)

Extracted  by Gareth Hicks from the CD published by Archive CD Books (Jan 2008)  - with translation

Capel Mawr

(Vol 2, p 460/1)

"Mae y Capel Mawr yn mhlwyf Llangristiolus, ac adnabyddir ef yn aml wrth yr enw Capel Paradwys. Bu cyfarfodydd crefyddol yn cael eu cynal yn yr ardal hon yn Ceryg-gwyddel, yn mhlwyf Cerygceinwen, ac yn y Tygwyn, yn mhlwyf Llangadwaladr, a dywedir fod y lleoedd hyny wedi eu cofrestru at bregethu. Yn ol cofnodion Llys Bangor, cawn fod lle o'r enw Bleddyncynog, yn mhlwyf Llangristiolus, wedi ei gofrestru gan un Henry Maurice, Chwefror 17eg, 1774. Henry Maurice oedd perchenog lle, ac yr oedd yn byw yn y fferm a elwir Paradwys. Ffurfiwyd eglwys yma, yn un o'r manau uchod, o gylch y flwyddyn 1763, ac yr oedd y personau canlynol yn mysg y rhai a gychwynasant yr achos :-William Parry, Tygwyn ; Hugh Williams, College, Llangadwaladr ; Owen Jones, Ceryg-gwyddel, a'i wraig; Dafydd Abraham, y Llog; Owen Roberts, Ty'nypwll; William Jones, Tyrhyswyn; Thomas Parry, Tanylan, (Cerygengan, wedi hyny) ; John Jones, Tyddyndomas, a Mrs. Thomas, Tanylan. Cyn hir ymunodd amryw eraill a'r eglwys fechan, ac yn eu plith Mrs. Hughes, Plascoch, yr hon a ystyrid yn wraig gyfrifol a rhinweddol. Yr oedd hi yn ferch i William Pritchard, Clwchdernog, a hi oedd yr unig un o'i ferched a ymunodd a'r Annibynwyr. Unodd y lleill a'r Methodistiaid Calfinaidd. Ar yr achlysur o'i marwolaeth, pregethodd Mr. Jonathan Powell oddiar y geiriau, " Llawer merch a weithiodd yn rymus, ond tydi a ragoraist arnynt oll." Awgrymai fod ei chwiorydd wedi gwneyd yn dda, ond ei bod hi wedi rhagori arnynt oll. Bu pregethu yn Tygwyn a Ceryg-gwyddel am ysbaid deng mlynedd cyn codi y capel. Yr oedd William Parry, Tygwyn, yn pregethu yn achlysurol, ac efe a John Owen, Caeaumon, ac Owen ,Tones, Ceryg-gwyddel, a Thomas Parry, Tanylan, oedd a'r llaw flaenaf yn adeiladu y capel. Yr oedd Mr. John Thomas, Tanylan, er nad oedd yn aelod eglwysig, yn garedig iawn i'r achos, ac efe arolygydd adeiladiad y capel. Yr oedd mewn amgylchiadau bydol cysurus, a'i wraig yn nodedig am ei duwioldeb. Bu hi farw Ebrill 24ain, 1783, yn 47 oed. Yr oedd John Thomas, Tanylan, yn un o 54 o bersonau a foddodd wrth ddychwelyd dros yr afon Menai o Gaernarfon, Rhagfyr 5ed, 1785. Ni achubwyd ond un allan o 55 o bersonau. Gadawodd William Jones, Tyrhyswyn, a enwyd, 80p. i'w  defnyddio yn y modd goreu at wasanaeth yr achos yn y lle, a chodwyd 100p. atynt a phrynwyd Tyrhyswyn, ac y mae y tyddyn yn eiddo yr eglwys ; ond y mae y 100p. a godwyd yn aros byth heb ei dalu. Nid oes genym ddim neillduol i'w gofnodi am hanes crefydd yn y Capel Mawr, o adeg ei adeiladiad tua'r flwyddyn 1773 hyd 1812, pan yr adgyweiriwyd ef, ac wedi hyny yn 1834, adeiladwyd ef yn dy llawer helaethach. Bu y lle hwn mewn cysylltiad gweinidogaethol a Rhosymeirch hyd derfyn gweinidogaeth Mr. James yn y flwyddyn 1866.

Yn  y flwyddyn 1869, unodd yr eglwys hon a'r eglwys yn Hermon, Llangadwaladr, i roddi galwad i Mr. David C. Rees, Talybont, sir Aberteifi, a derbyniodd y gwahoddiad, a dechreuodd ei weinidogaeth yma Awst 15fed, flwyddyn hono, ac y mae yn parhau i lafurio yma. Yn ddioed wedi ei sefydliad yma, penderfynwyd cael capel newydd yma, ac wedi penderfynu ei gael nid oedwyd dim cyn dechreu arno. Cafwyd cynllun gan Mr. Richard G. Thomas, Menai Bridge, yr hwn a fawr gymeradwywyd, ac yn Ebrill, 1870, tynwyd yr hen gapel i lawr' ac agorwyd y capel newydd Hydref 24ain a'r 25ain, 1871. Costiodd, a chyfrif y cludiad, 1,300p., ac nid oes yn aros o ddyled ond 600p., a chyfrif y 100p. sydd ar Tyrhyswyn,  ac y mae y tyddyn yn werth agos y swm sydd arno ef a'r capel. Ni bydd y ddyled yn hir cyn cael ei llwyr dalu, canys y mae gan y bobl galon i weithio."

Translation by Maureen Saycell

 "Capel Mawr  (*1) is in the parish of Llangristiolus, and it is frequently known as Capel Paradwys (*2) There have been religious services held in this area at Ceryg-gwyddel, in the parish of Cerygceinwen, and at Tygwyn, in the parish of Llangadwaladr, and it is said that they were registered for preaching. According to Bangor Court records, we see that Bleddyncynog, in the parish of Llangristiolus was registered by one Henry Maurice, February 17th, 1774. Henry Maurice owned the place, and he lived on a farm called Paradwys. A church was formed here, in one of the above places, around 1763, and the following were among those who began the cause:- William Parry, Tygwyn ; Hugh Williams, College, Llangadwaladr ; Owen Jones, Ceryg-gwyddel, and his wife; Dafydd Abraham, Y Llog; Owen Roberts, Ty'nypwll; William Jones, Tyrhyswyn; Thomas Parry, Tanylan, (later of Cerygengan) ; John Jones, Tyddyndomas, and Mrs. Thomas, Tanylan. Before long many more became members of the little church, among them Mrs Hughes, Plascoch, who was considered to be a wise and virtuous woman. She was a daughter of William Pritchard, Clwchdernog, she was the only one of his daughters that joined the Indpendent church. The others joined the Calvinistic Methodists. On her death Mr Jonathan Powell gave a sermon on the words "Many women have worked mightily, but you were the best of them all." He was suggesting that her sisters had done well but that she had done even better. Preaching took place at Tygwyn and Ceryg-gwyddel for about ten years before a chapel was built. William Parry, Tygwyn, was an occasional preacher, both him and John Owen, Caeaumon, and Owen Jones, Ceryg-gwyddel, and Thomas Parry, Tanylan, were the main leaders in building the chapel.

Mr John Thomas, Tanylan, although not a member of the chapel, was very kind to the cause, and he overlooked the building of the chapel. His earthly circumstances were comfortable, and his wife was noted for her godliness. She died April 24th, 1783, at 47 years old. Mr John Thomas, Tanylan, was one of the 54 people who drowned as they returned across the river Menai from Caernarfon on December 5th 1785, only one out of 55 was saved. William Jones, Tyrhyswyn, named before, left £80 to be used to the best advantage of the cause, and £100 was raised and Tyrhyswyn was bought, and the small holding is the property of the church, but the £100 that was raised has still not been repaid. We have nothing extraordinary to note regarding religious history at Capel Mawr, from when it was built around 1773 to 1812, when it was renovated, and after that in 1834, it was rebuilt much larger. This place was a joint ministry with Rhosymeirch until the end of Mr James' ministry in 1866.

In 1869  this church joined the church at Hermon, Llangadwaladr to send a call to Mr David C. Rees, Talybont, Cardiganshire, he accepted the call and began his ministry on August 15th of that year, and he continues his labours here. Soon after his induction here, it was decided to have a new chapel here and work was soon started. A design was commissioned from Mr Richard G. Thomas, Menai Bridge, which met with great approval, and in April 1870, the old chapel was demolished and the new chapel was opened on October 24th and 25th, 1871. It cost, including carriage, £1,300, and there is only £600 outstanding, including the £100 still borrowed against Tyrhyswyn and the smallholding is for sale at a value near the amount owed on it and the chapel. The debt will not be long before it is cleared completely, as the people have the will to work."

*1- Big Chapel
*2 - Paradise Chapel