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Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru

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(History of the Welsh Independent Churches)

By Thomas Rees and John Thomas; published in 1871+.

These chapel histories were extracted by Gareth Hicks from the CD published by Archive CD Books (Feb 2008)  
Proof reading and translations by Mary Jane Stephenson (Feb 2008)

 

Bethel

(Vol 2, p 230-231)

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"Nid ydym yn cael fod pregethu gan yr Annibynwyr yn y lle hwn cyn dechreu y ganrif bresenol. Mr. G. Hughes, Groeswen, hyd y gallwn gasglu a ddechruodd yr achos yma tua 1802; a choffeir enwau William Gardener, William Morgan, ac Abraham, Bedwbach, yn mysg yr aelodau cyntaf; a dywedir eu bod yn ddynion o gymeriadau dysglaer, ac yn llawn sel dros burdeb eglwysig. Yn y flwyddyn 1809, adeiladwyd yma gapel, yr hwn a alwyd yn Bethel, yn benaf trwy lafur Mr. Hughes, Groeswen. Cofrestrwyd ef yn llys Llandaf, Medi 6ed, 1809, gan James Jacob, un o'r diaconiaid, ac un o gychwynwyr yr achos. Bu y gofal ar Mr. Hughes hyd y flwyddyn 1824, pryd y rhoddwyd galwad i Mr. William Davies, myfyriwr o athrofa y Drefnewydd, ac urddwyd ef yma. Ni bu arosiad Mr. Davies yma yn hir, canys symudodd yn nechreu 1828 i gymeryd gofal yr eglwys yn Llanymddyfri, lle y treuliodd weddill ei oes. Nid oedd yr achos ond egwan iawn, ac oblegid fod Mr. Davies yn ddyn

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Ilwfr dyoddefodd lawer o galedi. Yn nechreu 1831, rhoddwyd galwad i Mr. John Davies, aelod o'r Mynyddbach, ac urddwyd ef y 14eg o'r Gorphenaf canlynol. Nid oedd nifer yr aelodau ar ei sefydliad ef yma ond 38, llafuriodd yn ymroddgar yma am bum' mlynedd, ac yr oedd nifer yr aelodau wedi cynyddu i 72. Derbyniodd alwad yn 1836 o Ebenezer, Aberdar, a Nebo, Hirwaun, a symudodd yno. Bu yr eglwys hon am flynyddau ar ol hyny heb weinidog, ac yr oedd gwedd ddigon isel ar yr achos. Yn 1842, rhoddwyd galwad i Mr. Lefi Lawrence, aelod o Maenclochog, sir Benfro, ac urddwyd ef Mehefin 27ain a'r 28ain. Bu Mr. L. Lawrence yma am bum' mlynedd, nes y symudodd i Adulam, Merthyr. Ar ol hyny bu y gweinidogion cylchynol yn gofalu am yr achos dros rai blynyddau. Yn 1855, rhoddwyd galwad i Mr. Sem Phillips, Llangynidr, a bu yma yn llafurio am yn agos i ddeng mlynedd, hyd nes yr ymfudodd i America. Bu Mr. Phillips yn dra derbyniol a llwyddianus yma am dymor. Derbyniodd gryn lawer o aelodau newyddion i'r eglwys, ac addrefnwyd yr hen gapel, a gwnaed ef yn brydferth a chyfleus i bregethu a gwrando; a gwisgodd yr achos wedd siriol ac addawus iawn. Ond drwy ryw amgylchiad cyfododd anghydfod rhyngddo a rhai o'r aelodau, a chynyddodd i derfysg blin. a'r diwedd fu i nifer o'r eglwys ymadael a chodi capel iddynt eu hunain ychydig y tu allan i'r dreflan. Wedi ymadawiad Mr. Phillips rhoddodd yr eglwys alwad i Mr. Dan Griffiths, ac urddwyd ef Rhagfyr 10fed a'r 11eg, 1866, ac y mae efe yn parhau yn weinidog yma. Mae yr eglwys yma fel y gwelir wedi myned trwy lawer o gyfnewidiadau, ac wedi ei churo gan lawer o ystormydd. Bu dyled y capel yn faich trwm yn hir, a llawer a ddadleuwyd mewn cynadleddau yn ei gylch ; ond y mae yr eglwys yn awr wedi myned trwy yr holl amgylchiadau hyny, a'r achos ar y cyfan a gwedd gysurus arno, er nad yw olion yr ystormydd a'i cyfarfu wedi eu llwyr ddileu."

Translation by Mary Jane Stephenson (Feb 2008)

 We  have not found any preaching by the Congregationalists  in this place before the beginning of the present century. Mr. G. Hughes, Groeswen, as far as we can gather, began this cause  around 1802; and the names of William Gardener, William Morgan, and Abraham, Bedwbach, are remembered among the first members; and it is said they were men of  brilliant character and full of zeal for ecclesiastical purity. In the year 1809, a chapel was erected here, which was called Bethel, chiefly through the work of Mr. Hughes, Groeswen. It was registered at the Llandaff court on September 6th 1809 by James Jacob, one of the deacons, and one of the founders of the cause. It was in the care of Mr. Hughes until the year 1824, when a call was given to Mr. William Davies, a student from Newtown college, and he was ordained here. Mr Davies did not stay here long, as he moved at the beginning of 1828 to take the care of the church at Llandovery, where he spent the rest of his life. The cause was but very weak, and because Mr Davies was feeble he suffered many difficulties. At the beginning of 1831, a call was given to Mr. John Davies, a member from Mynyddbach, and he was ordained on the14th July following. The number of members here was but only 38, he laboured devotedly here for five years and the number of members increased to 72.  He received a call in 1836 from Ebenezer, Aberdar and Nebo, Hirwaun, and moved there. After this the church here was for some years without a minister and there was a depressed  enough appearance on the cause.  In 1842, a call was given to Mr. Lefi Lawrence, a member from Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire, and he was ordained on June 27th and 28th. Mr. Lawrence was here for five years, until he moved to Adulam, Merthyr. After this the circuit ministers looked after the cause for some years. In 1855 a call was given to Mr. Sem Phillips, Llangynidr, and he laboured here for almost ten years until he emigrated to America. Mr. Phillips was very welcome and successful for a while.He received numerous new members into the church and restored the old chapel and made it  a handsome and convenient place to preach and to listen; and the cause wore a cheerful and promising look. But through some circumstance  there arose a disagreement between him and some of the members, and it increased to a grievous disturbance, and in the end a number of people in the church left and built their own chapel a little way outside the township. After the departure of Mr. Phillips the church gave a call to Mr. Dan Griffiths and he was ordained on December 10th and 11th 1866, and he continues to be the minister here. This church,  as can be seen, has been through much change and has been struck by many storms. The chapel's debt was a heavy burden fcr a long time and there was much discussion about it; but the church has now risen above all these events, and the cause on the whole has a comfortable look about it, even if traces of the storms that have been encountered have not yet been erased completely.

 

 Zoar

(Vol 2, p 231-232)

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"Yn y flwyddyn 1861, ymadawodd nifer luosog o aelodau Bethel, Llantrisant, yn herwydd y terfysg at yr hwn y cyfeiriasom, a dechreuasant gynal moddion mewn ty anedd yn y dreflan. Nid hir y buont yno, canys yn gynar yn 1862, aethant i ffermdy a elwid y Mwyndy, o gylch milldir o Lantrisant yn nghyfeiriad Caerdydd; ac yno y ffurfiwyd yr eglwys gan Meistri J. Davies, Taihirion; J. Morgan, Cwmbach, a J. Davies, Caerdydd. Rhif yr aelodau ar y pryd oedd 73. Yn mis Mai ac ol hyny ymadawodd John John, gwr y Mwyndy a'i fferm, ac felly bu raid i'r eglwys edrych allan am le arall i drigo ynddo. Cafwyd ystafell berthynol i'r Talbot Inn gan Mrs. Thomas, ac yno y buwyd yn addoli nes yr adeiladwyd Zoar. Mae y capel ar y brif ffordd o Lantrisant i Gaerdydd, ac o fewn haner milldir i'r blaenaf. Cafwyd y tir ar brydles gan Mr. Insole am yr ardreth o 30s. y flwyddyn. Agorwyd y capel Tachwedd 24ain a'r 25ain, 1862. Bu yr eglwys yn ymddibynu ar gynorthwy gweinidogion a phregethwyr y wlad am fwy na chwe' blynedd; ond yn haf 1868, cytunasant a'r eglwys yn y Castellau i roddi galwad i Mr. William Cranog Davies, myfyriwr o athrofa Aberhonddu, ac urddwyd ef Gorphenaf 29ain a'r 30ain. Ar yr achlysur pregethwyd ar natur eglwys gan y Proffeswr Roberts, Aberhonddu;

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holwyd y gofyniadau gan Mr. J. B. Jones. B.A., Penybont ; dyrchafwyd yr urdd-weddi gan Mr. J. Davies, Taihirion ; pregethwyd i'r gweinidog gan Mr. J. Williams, Castellnewydd, ac i'r eglwys gan Mr. J. Davies, Caerdydd. Mae Mr. Davies yn parhau i lafurio yma, ac y mae golwg siriol a llewyrchus ar yr achos; er fod yr eglwys hon fel llawer eraill yn y wlad yma wedi dyoddef llawer yn y tair blynedd diweddaf oblegid yr ymadawiadau mynych i America, yn cael eu hachosi yn benaf gan iselder masnach. Mae yma lawer o ffyddloniaid, er nad oes yma gymeriadau nodedig i'w croniclo."

Translation by Mary Jane Stephenson (Feb 2008)

 In the year 1861, a large number of members left Bethel, Llantrisant  because of the events that we have already referred to, and they began to hold meetings in a  dwelling house in the township. They were not long there as, early in 1862, they went to a farmhouse called Mwyndy, about a mile from Llantrisant, in the direction of Cardiff; and there a church was formed by Messrs J. Davies, Taihirion; J. Morgan, Cwmbach; and J. Davies, Cardiff. The number of members at the time was 73. The following May John John, the man from Mwyndy and its farm, left and therefore the church had to look elsewhere for somewhere to stay. They were given a suitable room in the Talbot Inn by Mrs.Thomas, and that is where they worshipped until Zoar was built. The chapel is on the main road from Llantrisant to Cardiff and within half a mile of  the  highest point. The ground was given by Mr. Insole on a lease of 30 shillings a year. The chapel was opened on November 24th and 25th 1862. The church depended on the assistance of ministers and teachers around the country for more than six years; but in the summer of 1868, they agreed with the church in Castellau to give a call to Mr. William Cranog Davies, a student at Brecon college, and he was ordained on July 29th and 30th. On that occasion Professor Roberts, Brecon, preached upon the nature of the church, questions were examined by Mr. J.B. Jones, B.A; the ordination prayer was raised by Mr.J. Davies, Taihirion:  Mr. J. Williams, Newcastle, preached to the minister and Mr. J. Davies, Cardiff, to the church. Mr Davies continues to labour here and there is a shining and prosperous look on the cause even though this church, like so many others in this country has suffered much during the last three years because of the frequent migrations to America, mainly due to the market depression. Here there are many faithful people, even though there are no notable characters to record.

 

Castellau

(Vol 2, p 232-233)

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"Mae y lle hwn yn mhlwyf Llantrisant, ar y ffordd i Bontypridd. Yr oedd nifer o aelodau perthynol i'r Cymer yn byw yn yr ardal yn niwedd y ganrif ddiweddaf, ac arferent gyrchu yno yn lled reolaidd er fod ganddynt fynydd garw i'w groesi. Byddai Mr. M. Jones, Cymer, yn pregethu yn achlysurol yn y gymydogaeth o'r flwyddyn 1791 hyd derfyn ei weinidogaeth. Pregethai yn Trefarigisaf, lle yr oedd Thomas Jenkins yn byw, ac yn Ty-mab-Ellis, lle yr oedd John Jenkins yn byw, a chedwid cyfeillachau crefyddol yn achlysurol yn y Gelynogfawr, lle yr oedd William Jenkins yn byw. Yr oedd y tri hyn yn frodyr, a buont yn ffyddlon i'r achos, ac y mae rhai o'u holafiaid yn parhau yn aelodau defnyddiol yn y lle. Wedi dyfodiad Mr. Joshua Evans i'r Cymer, byddai yntau yn dyfod yn fisol i'r ardal, ond nid i'r un manau ag y pregethai Mr. M. Jones, oblegid mai pobl eraill erbyn hyn oedd yn byw ynddynt. Yn Felin, Trefarhig, lle y preswyliai hen chwaer ffyddlon o'r enw Pheobe, y pregethai Mr. Evans fynychaf. Bu llawer o siarad am godi capel yma, a chafodd yr ardal golled fawr na buasai hyny wedi cael ei wneyd ddeng-mlynedd-ar-hugain yn gynt ; ond nid oedd yma neb yn meddu calon i ymafael yn y gorchwyl. Yr oedd y Milwriad Smith, o'r Castellau, boneddwr caredig yn yr ardal, yn teimlo yn ddwys dros y rhai oedd yn mynychu moddion gras wrth eu gweled dan y fath anghyfleustra; a rhoddodd dir at adeiladu capel, a dygodd y rhan fwyaf o draul yr adeiladaeth ei hun, a gwnaed ef ar gynllun o'i eiddo, yr hyn a barodd i'r draul fyned yn fawr iawn, ond talodd y cwbl ei hun ond ryw 60p. a adawodd i'r bobl ei wneyd. Addawodd brydles am fil ond un o flynyddau am swllt y flwyddyn o ardreth ; ond oblegid rhyw esgeulustra y mae heb ei chael etto. Agorwyd y capel Tachwedd 22ain a'r 23ain, 1843. Bu gofal y lle ar Mr. Evans, Cymer, hyd ei farwolaeth, ac ar ol hyny bu Meistri D. Stephens, Glantaf, ac H. Oliver, B.A., Pontypridd, yn olynol yn gofalu am y lle'; a chynyddodd yr achos yn fawr yn nhymor eu gweinidogaeth hwy, er nad oeddynt yn gallu rhoddi ond cyfran fechan o'u hamser i wasanaethu yr eglwys hon. Yn 1866, rhoddwyd galwad i Mr. W. C. Davics i fod yn weinidog yma, ac urddwyd ef, fel y crybwyllasom, yn Zoar, Llantrisant, Gorphenaf 29ain a'r 30ain, a'r dydd canlynol cadwyd cyfarfod yma, pryd y gweinyddwyd gan Meistri T. C. Williams, Canton;  J. B. Jones, B.A., Penybont ; J. Evans, Maendy, (ar ddyledswydd yr eglwys); J. Thomas, Salem, Aberdar; D. Thomas, Abercanaid, a J. Farr, Awstralia. Parhâ Mr. Davies i lafurio yma gyda derbyniad, ac y mae y capel wedi myned yn rhy fychan, fel y sonir yn awr am ei helaethu.

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Ni chodwyd yma ond un pregethwr, sef William C. Jenkins, yr hwn a addysgwyd yn athrofa Caerfyrddin, ac y mae yn awr yn weinidog yn Nghydweli, sir Gaerfyrddin."

Translation by Mary Jane Stephenson (Feb 2008)

 This place is in Llantrisant parish, on the road to Pontypridd. A number of members belonging to Cymer were living in the area at the end of the last century, and they would usually go there regularly although there was a rough mountain to cross. Mr. M. Jones would occasionally preach in the neighbourhood  from the year of 1791 until the end of his ministry. He would preach in Trefyrhyg Isaf where Thomas Jenkins lived, in Ty-mab-Ellis, where John Jenkins lived, and held religious meetings occasionally in Gelynog Fawr where William Jenkins lived. These three were brothers and they were faithful to the cause, and some of their descendants continue to be useful members in the place. After Mr. Joshua Evans came to Cymer, he would come every month to the district, but not to the same places that Mr. M. Jones, because by then other people were living in them. Mr. Evans would frequently preach in Melin, Trefyrhyg, where resided an elderly faithful sister named Phoebe. There was much talk about building a chapel here and the district  had  suffered a geat loss when this was not done thirty years previously; but there was no one here with the heart to take on the task. Colonel Smith, of Castellau, a kindly gentleman in the district, felt  grievously for those who sought means of grace and seeing them under this kind of inconvenience he gave them ground to build a chapel, and took the most of the expense of the building work himself, having made a plan of the property, and this continued to increase the vast expense, but he paid the whole himself except for 60 pounds that he left the people to find. He promised a lease of  999 years with a yearly rent of one shilling; but because  of some neglect it has not yet been received. The chapel was opened on November 22nd and 24th 1843. The place was in the care of Mr. Evans, Cymer, until his death, and afterwards, Messrs D. Stephens, Glantaf, and H. Oliver, B.A., Pontypridd, continued to care for the place; and the cause greatly increased during their term of ministry , even though they could only give a small portion of their time to serve this church. In 1866, a call was given to Mr. W.C. Davies to be the minister here and he was ordained, as has been already mentioned, in Zoar, Llantrisant, on July 29th and 30th, and the following day a meeting was held here when it was led by Messrs. T.C. Williams, Canton; J.B. Jones, B.A. Bridgend; J. Evans, Maendy (on behalf of the church); J. Thomas, Salem, Aberdar; D. Thomas, Abercanaid, and J. Farr, Awstralia. Mr. Davies continues to labour here with approbation, and as the chapel has become too small,  so extending it has been suggested.

Only one preacher has been raised from here namely William C. Jenkins, educated in Carmarthen college, and who is now a minister in Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire.

 

[Last Updated :  24 Feb 2008  -  Gareth Hicks]