Llandysiliogogo chapels

For further details of this project see Cardiganshire Chapels Database

Compiled by Gareth Hicks (Feb 2007)

Sources

NB.  Not all available data was necessarily used from sources - and sources 1 & 4 have been combined as similar

• 1.  The Chapels Recording Project in Wales (RCAHMW)
• 2.   The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales., byJones, I.G. & Williams, D.      UWP,   Cardiff, 1976
• 3.   Nonconformist Registers of Wales published by the National Library of Wales in 1994.
• 4.   The Parish Churches and Nonconformist Chapels of Wales: Their Records and where to Find them, Vol. One, Cardigan - Carmarthen - Pembroke, by Rawlins, B.J. (1987).
• 5.  Kelly's Directory, South Wales 1910 -  the Archive Cd Books Cd
• 6.  Kelly's Directory, South Wales 1895 -  the Archive Cd Books Cd
• 7.  My Ancestors were Congregationalists in England and Wales, by D J H Clifford, SOG, 1992.
• 8.  Independent Chapels of Wales: History Books and Pamphlets by Huw Walters.
• 9.  Death and Burial indexes available for purchase from Cardiganshire Family History Society
• 10. Online Commercial & Residential Directories as appropriate to a particular parish - apart from what may already be on Genuki, see also the Historical Directories site

 Other sources

• Dyfed FHS  - Photographs of chapels (may also be other data there)
• Archives Network Wales
• Lewis 1833 on Genuki  (Samuel Lewis's A Topographical Dictionary of Wales 1833 )

All

• Monumental inscriptions for Llandysiliogogo Parish [Sant Tysilio, Bwlchyfadfa, Capel Cynon, Cruglas, Gwenlli, Llwyndafydd, Nanternis, Neuadd, Pen-sarn, Pisgah, Talgarreg.] (index only) are available on microfiche from Dyfed FHS

Baptist

Llwyndafydd Welsh Baptist church, Llwyndafydd

• Llwyndafydd Welsh Baptist church, Llwyndafydd           SN37045560        Baptists & Independents worshipped together until Baptists built this chapel           Chapel built 1778/9, rebuilt 1829, renewed 1898.            Members; 90 in 1840                Still open 1998      (1) & (4)

• Llwyndafydd    Particular Baptist       Erected in 1779     Thomas Griffiths, Baptist Minister     1851  (2)

•  Photograph on Dyfed FHS

Congregational

Nanternis Welsh Independent chapel, Nanternis

• Nanternis Welsh Independent chapel, Nanternis           SN37245647      Weekly prayer meetings before chapel built in 1867, modified early C20th & schoolroom added 1923.              Still open 1998         (1) & (4)

• Photograph on Dyfed FHS

• Shown as still open on the Union of Welsh Independents site (Dec 2006)

• Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). Here is the entry from this book for this chapel (in Welsh ) - with translation by Maureen Saycell (Nov 2008)

Pisgah Welsh Independent chapel, Pisgah

• Pisgah Welsh Independent chapel, Pisgah           SN41455138     Preaching from an early period before chapel built at Pantswelt in 1821; rebuilt 1849, 1871 (1875) & vestry added 1898.    Membership was 200 for years         Records;  1. Sunday school minute book 1897-1907  NLW        2. account book 1907-16 NLW              Still open 1998      (1) & (4)
• Pisgah  Ind             Erected in 1821                Robert Thomas, Minister     1851  (2)
•  
• See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

• Cardiganshire Family History Society - Index to deaths and burials in Cardiganshire from non-conformist records is available on fiche. Check details on their site, for this parish includes; Pisgah (Ind., 1907-18, 1911-95).

• James, M Euronwy. Annibynwyr Pisgah a Phenrhiwgaled, Ceredigion [Pisgah and Penrhiwgaled Independent Churches, Cardiganshire]. Llandysul, 1971 [LDS GS 994004]

• Photograph on Dyfed FHS

• Pisga Ind chapel, Talgarreg shown as still open on the Union of Welsh Independents site (Dec 2006)

• Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). Here is the entry from this book for this chapel (in Welsh ) - with translation by Maureen Saycell (Oct 2008)

Methodist

Neuadd Welsh CM chapel, (Capel Neuadd) Nanternis

•  Neuadd Welsh CM chapel, Nanternis  (on Cross Rd between Llwyndafydd and Nanternis)          SN36935615        Chapel built 1867-8, chapel house built 1869.        Members; 55 in 1902      Not still open 1998         (1) & (4)

• Hanes Methodistiaeth, rhan ddeheuol Sir Aberteifi : oddechreuad y "Diwvgiad Methodistaidd" yn 1735 hyd 1900 . By John Evans.   Dolgellau , 1904. (Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Church History in the southern part of Cardiganshire from 1735 to 1900) This book contains an entry for each CM chapel in existence in South Cardiganshire at the end of 1900, including this one. It includes a history of preaching in the area before the chapel was built, lists deacons, ministers etc, and contains a wealth of genealogical information.

Pensarn Welsh CM chapel, Hafod Iwan, Caerwedros

• Pensarn Welsh CM chapel, Hafod Iwan, Caerwedros        SN38105482       Started c.1744 at Coedybrain       Chapel built 1794/5 on  Tirgwyn land, enlarged 1806, c.1815, rebuilt 1833, 1875.   Members; 40 in 1902       Records; births and bapts 1815-37 PRO & in IGI        Not still open 1998     (1) & (4)
• Pensarn   CM             Erected in 1794             Evan Evans, Secretary     1851  (2)
• Pen-sarn CM chapel, Llandysiliogogo    Bapts 1813-37  PRO
•  
• See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

• Eglwys Pensarn, Llandysliogogo, cofysgrifau (records) 1813-1966   
  "Adeiladwyd y capel yn 1794 ar ddarn o dir yn perthyn i fferm Tirgwyn ger Caerwedros ym mhlwyf Llandysiliogogo. Cafwyd y tir gan Llewelyn Parry, Gurnos, ar brydles o 99 o flynyddoedd, am 8s. y flwyddyn. Ceir tystysgrif yn cadarnhau'r adeilad fel man addoli yn 1853. Yn 1894 prynwyd y capel, y ty a'r tir am £172 10s. Cyn ei gau yn 1966 roedd y capel yn perthyn i Ddosbarth Ceinewydd, Henaduriaeth De Aberteifi"

•  Application to convert from chapel to holiday accomodation, 2004

• Hanes Methodistiaeth, rhan ddeheuol Sir Aberteifi : oddechreuad y "Diwvgiad Methodistaidd" yn 1735 hyd 1900 . By John Evans.   Dolgellau , 1904. (Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Church History in the southern part of Cardiganshire from 1735 to 1900) This book contains an entry for each CM chapel in existence in South Cardiganshire at the end of 1900, including this one. It includes a history of preaching in the area before the chapel was built, lists deacons, ministers etc, and contains a wealth of genealogical information.

Miscellaneous

Bwlchyfadfa Unitarian chapel (Capel y Fadfa), Bwlchyfadfa

•  Bwlchyfadfa Unitarian chapel (Capel y Fadfa), Bwlchyfadfa             SN43644951     Independents from  Penrhiwgaled and Unitarians from Llwynrhydowen  came together here         Chapel built 1813, rebuilt 1830, 1850, 1874 & 1905.     Members; 104 in 1839        Records; history from Yr Ymofynydd 1929 says that an old account book of John Thomas (Tomos Saer) contained lists of members of this chapel 1839-44            Still open 1998        (1) & (4)
•  
• See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

• Bwlchyfadfa   Presbyterian       Erected 'about forty years ago'       John Davies, Minister     1851   (2)

• Cardiganshire Family History Society - Index to deaths and burials in Cardiganshire from non-conformist records is available on fiche. Check details on their site, for this parish includes ; Bwlchyfadfa (Unitarian, 1878-1999)

• Photograph on Dyfed FHS
•  
• Below is an extract from Hanes Plwyf Llandyssul 1896 [The History of Llandysul]

Bwlchyfadfa Unitarian chapel

Extract from   Hanes Plwyf Llandyssul 1896 [The History of Llandysul], by Rev W J Davies 1896, translated by Ivor Griffiths

"The cause was started here around 1812 by the Rev.John Jones, the eldest son of the Rev.Jonathan Jones, Rhydybont, assisted by a number of laymen, chief among them being David Evans, of Gwardafolog, the grandfather of Mrs Jones, Frondes. After the Rev.Timothy Davis,who was assitant minister to his father in Llwynrhydowen, had left for England in 1810, Mr John Jones received a call to assist Mr Davis, which he accepted. But, soon a disagreement arose between Mr Davis and Mr Jones,and the later left with some friends to establish the cause in Bwlchyfadfa, which is on the border between the parishes of Llandyssul and Llandissiliogogo, but actually in the last named parish. The chapel is about 7 miles from the village of Llandyssul. Some of the members of Penrhiwgaled living in the area of Talgarreg joined with Mr Jones' party,and they agreed to hold services there alternately. As the Arminians of the Bwlch were moving away from Arminianism and moving in the direction of Unitarianism,the gap between them and the people of Penrhiwgaled was widening until the Penrhiwgaled people decided to leave.

As there was a provision in the lease that the minister of Penrhiwgaled was to preach in the Bwlch twice a month, the Independents had certain rights in the place. When they left, the remainder of the members gave them £35 to give up their rights in the chapel, and in part, with this money, they built Pisgah chapel in 1821.

Mr Jones was only here for a short while, and the Rev.L.Davis of Llwynrhydowen, along with his assistant, the Rev.D.L.Jones, Glyn Adda, took over the care of the young church. The later was followed by the Rev.W.Rees of Bridgend, earlier of Cilgwyn, and the father of the Rev.W.Rees, Rhydygwin. Mr Rees was an assistant until 1830. After the retirement of the Rev. D. Davis, Castell Hywel, in 1820, the Rev.J.Davies,the son of the Rev.D,Davies, Llanybri,was ordained in 1821, and was here until his death in 1858. The Rev.W.Rees was followed by the Rev.D. Evans, B.A.,who was ordained in the Llwyn in 1830. He was minister of Bwlchyfadfa and Llwynrhydowen until 1853. After him came the  Rev.Peter Joseph, who ministered from June 19th 1853 until his death in 1857. The Rev.W. Thomas (Gwilyrn Marles) came here when still a student in 1858, and as a full minister in 1860 after graduating an M.A., in Glasgow University, and served the church until 1879. Then the Rev.W.James B.A.,of Hen-dy-Cwrdd, Aberdare was called to serve the church, and served faithfully from October 1879 until 1888. In 1889, the Rev. W..J. Davies, minister in Dowlais and Gellionen was given a call, and began his ministry on the first Sunday in June 1889, and continued to serve the church until the end of July 1896

On June 16th 1877,the church of Bwlchyfadfa bought 1 1/2 acres of land from Mr John Thomas of Pantybryn, to make into a graveyard, and the first to be buried there was Eliza Jones ,the daughter of Thomas and Mary Jones of Henbant near Talgarreg,who had died on March 17th 1878,aged 7 years. On the gravestone is the following verse:

[Gareth Hicks: 16 Oct 2011]