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Chapels - Aberavon

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This project is fully described on Glamorgan Chapels Database

This Aberavon database compiled by Gareth Hicks - with contributions from;

  • Allen Blethyn

If a chapel is already mentioned on the main parish page then its name will act as a link to that section for any data recorded there - such as extant records and OS Grid references

(For an explanation of the various non-conformist denominations see Wales - Genealogy Help Pages )

Some chapels may have more than one entry if it is not possible to correctly identify each from a particular source

Sources referred to (indicated by number shown in brackets after the data entry) where there may be more data available

Sources;

Additional

Baptist

Water Street

  • Baptist, (English), Water street, Rev Watkin Jones 1895 (6)
  • Baptist, (English), Water street. Rev D Pugh Bevan 1910 (7)
  • Water St English Baptist, Water St. Built 1872. Demolished by 2003 (8)

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

  • Water Street English Baptist Church, Aberavon, marriage registers 1958-1974

Sion, Aberavon

  • 1799, February 16; Baptist; a house called Sion chapel (1)

Ebenezor, Talbot St/Cattle St, Aberavon SS76569020

  • 1801, July 10; Baptist; a house called Ebenezor Chapel (1)
  • Baptist (Ebenezer Welsh), Talbot street, Rev David Griffiths 1895 (6)
  • Baptist (Ebenezer Welsh), Talbot street. Rev David Griffiths 1910 (7)
  • Welsh Baptist, Talbot St. Built 1821; rebuilt or modified in 1836 and 1882 (8)
  • Ebenezer Baptist, Cattle St Erected in 1835 John Rhys Morgan, minister (11)

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

  • Ebenezer Welsh Baptist Church, Aberavon, Records 1861-2002 "The Baptist cause began in Aberavon in 1651 as a local branch of the congregation that met in Ilston. The congregation occupied several chapels until Ebenezer was purchased from the Calvinistic Methodists in 1839. The present chapel was built on the site in 1881" "Ebenezer Welsh Baptist Church, Aberavon, records, 1861-2002, including church histories, 1883-1936; deeds, 1861-2002; Deacon's minutes, 1967-1988; dismission forms, 1962-1994"
  • See also under Port Talbot, Margam parish

Moriah, Clifton Terrace, Aberavon

  • 1822, October 24; Baptist; a new building called Moriah Chapel (1)
  • There is an entry (under Causeway etc) for Moriah chapel in the book index Images of Neath & Port Talbot by David Roberts
  • Also at Swansea Archives D/D LE 222 in the Mr. Leslie Evans Collection - which should be the first place to look for anyone doing any Family or Local History research in the Port Talbot Area - there is a very good index to his collection there (9)
  • Capel Moriah, Clifton Terrace, Aberavon. Port Talbot Guardian 27th Jan.1961; Notice given of the removal from Moriah Chapel's attached graveyard of the remains of 28 named persons owing to the M4 construction. They were re-buried at Goetre, Port Talbot. This chapel was small in size measuring only 34ft 6 ins by 24ft 6ins. After the Baptists moved out to Ebenezer in 1839 it was used by Independents, then a Welsh Sunday School, also by Bible Christians, Primitive Methodists, Roman Catholics, Wesleyans, and English Baptists (9)

Baptist Chapel, Aberavon

  • Baptist Chapel, Aberavon. Rev. Cornelius Griffiths 1858/9 (4)

Wern Baptist Church, Vivian Square, Aberavon

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

  • Wern Baptist Church, Vivian Square, Aberavon, marriage registers 1923-1985 "...............The church was demolished in 1973 and the congregation were transferred to Christ Church, Baglan Bay, Port Talbot"

 

Congregationalist

Tabernacle

  • Tabernacle, Aberafon - now closed (as at 1992) (2)
  • Independent Chapel, Cwm Avon rd, Aberavon. Rev. John Steadman 1858/9 (4)
  • Congregational (Welsh.), Cwmavon road, Rev. John Foulkes 1895 (6)
  • Congregational (Welsh), Tabernacle, Cwmavon road. Rev James Evans 1910 (7)
  • Tabernacle Welsh Independent Chapel. Built in 1824, rebuilt or modified 1868, 1871, 1881. Demolished by 2003 (1)
  • Tabernacle Chapel Cwmavon Road Aberavon. Rev James Evans 1909 (9M)
  • Tabernacl, Aberavon; The Rev Hugh Owen of North Wales was responsible for the building of this chapel in 1824. The Rev Richard Morgan was minister of Tabernacl, Aberavon in 1872. ( A History of Taibach 1872 by Rev. Richard Morgan) (9)
  • Tabernacle, Independent Erected in 1822 David Williams, minister (11)
  • Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). Here is the entry for this chapel (in Welsh) - with translation by Maureen Saycell (April 2009)

Carmell, Aberavon (see also below under Methodist)

  • 1811, June 20; Independent; a house called Carmell (1)
  • Index entry for Carmel chapel, Whitsun Walk, Aberavon in Images of Neath & Port Talbot by David Roberts

Congregational (Welsh), Sandfields SS75719008

  • Congregational (Welsh), Sandfields. Rev Edward James 1910 (7)
  • Sandfields Independent Chapel, Sandfields Rd (8)

Congregational (Welsh), Wern street SS76389031

  • Congregational (Welsh), Wern street, Rev John Charles Lloyd 1895 (6)
  • Wern Welsh Independent Chapel, Wern St. Built 1849/50, rebuilt or modified 1865 and c.1910. Demolished pre 2003 (8)
  • There is a book by Isaac O. Thomas: Braslun o hanes eglwys Annibynnol y Wern, Aberafan, 1843-1943, (Port Talbot, 1943), 32tt. Listed in Independent Chapels of Wales: History Books and Pamphlets by Huw Walters. (10)
  • Wern chapel, New St, Independent Erected in 1849 Daniel Richards, secretary, Tailor. To the care of Mr D Morgans, Aberavon (11)
  • Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). Here is the entry for this chapel (in Welsh) - with translation by Maureen Saycell (April 2009)

Congregational (Welsh)

  • Congregational (Welsh). Rev John Griffiths 1910 (7)

 

Methodist

CM=Calvinistic Methodist. PM= Primitive Methodist. WM-Wesleyan Methodist

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

  • Aberavon/Port Talbot Wesleyan Methodist Circuit, records 1867-2001 "Records of the Aberavon/Port Talbot Wesleyan Methodist Circuit, 1867-2001, including records of an unidentified chapel, 1929-1931, registers of baptisms, 1886-1971; records of the United Methodist Church, Cymmer, 1901-2001; newsletters, 2000-2001, Trinity Methodist Church, Port Talbot, records, 1954-2000; miscellaneous, 1901-1974; and individual church records; 1867-1997"
  •  
  • Nonconformist Calvinistic Methodists Records "Records of the Nonconformist Calvinistic Methodists, History of chapels in Margam and Aberavon parishes, 1910"

Carmel (CM) (see also above under Congregational)

  • Methodist Chapel (Welsh Calvanistic), Aberavon, Pontryddefen and Taibach 1858/9 (4)
  • Calvinistic Methodist (Welsh), Alma place. 1895 (6)
  • Calvinistic Methodist (Welsh), Alma place. Rev Richd Charles Lewis 1910 (7)
  • Carmel Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Talbot St. Built 1810, and rebuilt or modified 1824 and 1844. Rebuilt c. 1950-60's. (8)
  • Index entry for Carmel chapel, Whitsun Walk, Aberavon in Images of Neath & Port Talbot by David Roberts
  • Carmel, CM Erected in 1810 Rebuilt in 1844 Emanuel Griffiths, Deacon, Grocer, High St (11)
  • Carmel Aberafan English CM chapel Aberafan Centre, , Aberafan, Morgannwg SA13 1PB - still open in 2006

Bethel (PM)

  • Primitive Methodist (English), Wern place. Rev Noah Wardle Stafford 1895 (6)
  • Primitive Methodist (English), High street. Rev William Whitham 1910 (7)
  • Ysgoldy Bethel (Primitive Methodist), Wern St. (8)
  • Bethel (Primitive Methodist), Pentyla . SS76429037
    Built 1851 and rebuilt or modified 1900. Demolished by 2003 (8)

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

Wesleyan Methodist Marriage Registers Including "Bethel, 1932-1962" [right place ?] Methodist chapel (WM)

  • Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan), Aberavon . . . no regular minister 1858/9 (4)
  • Wesleyan Methodist, Aberavon Built in 1842 Richard Roberts, elder, Lower Row, Michaelstone-super-avon (11)

Methodist chapel, Aberavon

  • During the week ending 30 April (1875), the children were given a holiday on Wednesday afternoon in order that they could attend the Choral Association at the Methodist chapel, Aberavon (5) [which chapel is this ?]

Bethlehem Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Pendarvis Terrace SS75678991

  • Bethlehem Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Pendarvis Terrace (8)
  • Sandfields Hall English Calvinistic Methodist Chapel - "An English Calvinistic Methodist chapel built after 1897 but before 1913, when it had been replaced by Bethlehem Chapel on the same site" (Coflein)

Bethlehem Evangelical Church, Sandfields

  • "The cause in Sandfields had been started in 1868 when the members of Carmel Church began holding a Sunday school in the area. ...... and in 1897 a hall was built, ............. By 1908 there was a church membership of 40, but ............. within two years the membership had increased to 90. This was the approximate membership figure when Dr. Lloyd-Jones came to Aberavon in 1927. By that time the chapel had been built, ................... " (3)
  • Until the 1970s Bethlehem Evangelical Church was the Bethlehem Calvinistic Methodist chapel - (Jeremy Baily, Minister of Bethlehem Evangelical Church, May 2008)

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

  • Records relating to Bethlehem Evangelical Church [formerly Calvinistic Methodist], Sandfields, Port Talbot, including record relating to Church history, 1997

Soar Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Corlannau, Aberavon SS77039086

  • Built 1849, and rebuilt or modified in 1902 (8)

Fitzclarence Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Western Ave, Sandfields. SS74309034

  • Built in the Late 20th - might have replaced an earlier chapel (8)
  • "This is not correct, this chapel was built by members of Bethlehem Evangelical church in the late 1950s as the Sandfields estate was growing. Its name is taken from a church in Liverpool that was demolished and the proceeds given to build the chapel." (Jeremy Baily, Minister of Bethlehem Evangelical Church, May 2008)

 

Other

Aberavon and Port Talbot Synagogue

 

Zion, Bible Christian

  • Bible Christian's Chapel (English), Richard st .; Rev. William Higman 1858/9 (4)
  • Bible Christian, Clarence street; Rev Jabez Drew 1895 (6)
  • Zion Bible Christian, Aberavon (8)
  • Zion, Bible Christian Erected in 1851 (11)
    "The cause at present in this place is in its infancy. We have not had time to bring things into a proper Way of Working. We expect a Sabbath School will soon be formed which will contain at least 60 children"
    Samuel Jory, minister. To the care of T Hobbs, Aberavon

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

Wesleyan Methodist, marriage registers Including "Zion, 1907-1963" [right place?]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

  • Morria Shapel, Later Day Sintes, Aberavon "Formerly a Baptist chapel but of late rented to the Latter Day Saints" Signed George Lewis, Registrar. Wm Howell, Elder (11)
  • The next entry in the 1851 return is missing but "Mormonite according to the Registrar's preliminary list" (11)

St Dyfrig Mission Church, Sandfields

  • St Dyfrig Mission Church, Sandfields 1910 (7)

St Joseph's Catholic, Church street

  • St Joseph's Catholic Mission, Church street. Rev Father Clement Matthews, priest 1895 (6)
  • St Joseph's Catholic, Church street. Rev Philip Kelly, priest 1910 (7)