Michaelston-super-Avon Contents

The book "In the Valley Long Ago" by Graham Hughes 1985 from Dechreuad A Chynnydd Gweithiau Cwmafan by John Rowlands first published in Aeron Afan 1853

It covers the early years of Cwmavon and has a  list of chapels of that period.

• Sion Independents  built ........ 1821 members  350
• Rock, Independents                1839                 120
• Bethania Baptists                     1850                100
• Calvinist Methodists                 1837                120
• Penuel Baptists                        1844                270
• English Wesleyans                   1849                  40
•  
• Pontrhydyfen Calvinist Methodists built 1826, members 111
• Baptists no permanent building, members 30.
• Bryn Baptists, no permanent chapel building, members 40
• Independents, no permanent building, members 40
• Calvinist Methodists, no permanent chapel building, members 40.
•  
• Established Church            (pews taken)          300
• Church services are said in Bryn and Pontrhydyfen on the Sabbath in the schools.

The foreword mentions the "insufferable Mr Biddulph, manager of the works for the Bank of England and fanatic High Churchman who, with the aid of  his wife, orders Nonconformist Welsh-speaking children to be marched off to Church service under the threat of being caned later if they don't show up"

(Ken Roberts)

Bethania Baptist chapel, Cwmafan

•  Bethania Baptist chapel, Cwmafan      SS78699256    Built in 1850, modified, altered or rebuilt in 1858   (8)

Penuel Baptist (Welsh), Cwmavon

• Penuel Baptist (Welsh), Cwmavon     Seats 900       Rev Robert S Morris    1895  (6)
• Penuel Baptist (Welsh), Cwmavon     Seats 700       Rev Robert Seiriol Morris    1910  (7)
• Penuel Baptist chapel, Cwmafan, Llanfihangel-Ynys-Afan-isaf      SS78229209  Built in 1844, modified, altered or rebuilt in 1856   (8)
• Baptist, Pennywell (Welsh)                          Rev. Jno. Rowlands, minister     1871  (9)
• Baptist chapel, Cwm Avon    Rev John Rowlands  -  in  Slaters Directory for 1858-1859
• Penuel Baptist, Cwmafan              Erected in 1844            David Thomas, Minister, Aberavan      1851    (10)

Rock Baptist chapel, Cwmafan

• Rock Baptist chapel, Cwmafan      SS79329345      Built in 1838      (8)

Tabor Baptist, Cwmavon

• Tabor Baptist, Cwmavon    Seats 300        1910  (7)

Siloh Baptist chapel, Efail-fach  

• Siloh Baptist chapel, Efail-fach    SS78849488    (8)

Baptist chapel, Pontrhydyfen

• Baptist chapel, Pontrhydyfen. Here is a Baptist chapel erected in 1856, seats 400    1910  (7)
• Baptist chapel, Pontrhydyfen listed in  Slaters Directory for 1858-1859

Bethania Independent chapel, Cwmafan

• There is a book;  Bethania, Cwmafan, 1850-1950. Cyfarfodydd dathlu canmlwyddiant, Hydref 9-12 1950: trefn y cyfarfodydd a braslun o hanes yr achos, [s.l.: 1950], 12tt.    (5)
• Bethania Welsh Congregational, Cwmavon    Seats 500   Rev Griffith Lloyd Evans   1895   (6)
• Independent, Bethania (Welsh)                  Rev. Wm. Thomas, minister     1871  (9)
• Independent chapel, Cwm Avon    Rev William Thomas in  Slaters Directory for 1858-1859
• Seion/Bethania Ind chapel, Cwmafan - 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 for this chapel (in Welsh) (Bethania, Tymaen) - with translation by Gareth Hicks (May 2009)

Bethany Welsh Congregational, Cwmavon

• Bethany Welsh Congregational, Cwmavon       Seats 750     Rev Evan Jones  1910  (7)  (is this the same place as Bethania ?)

Rock Welsh Independent chapel, Pwllyglaw, Cwmafan

• Rock Welsh Independent chapel, Cwmafan   Opened in 1840, still open in 1992   (1)
• There is a book;  Eglwys y Rock, Cwmafan, 1836-1986 : rhaglen cyfarfodydd dathlu canmlwyddiant a hanner, Medi 21 -28, 1986. [Cwmafan] : [Eglwys y Rock], [1986]. 16p      (2)
• There is a book by Stanley Jones: Eglwys y Rock, Cwmafan: dathlu sefydlu'r achos yn 1836 a dathlu can mlynedd gweinidogaeth tri gweinidog, (Maesteg, c.1957), 20tt.   (5)
• And another book ; Stanley Jones: Eglwys y Rock, Cwmafan, 1836-1986. Rhaglen cyfarfodydd dathlu canmlwyddiant a hanner, Medi 21-28, 1986, (Port Talbot, 1986), 18tt    (5)
• 1839, June 25; Independent; a building called The Rock and Fountain; John Griffiths of that parish   (3)
• Rock Ind Chapel, Pwllyglaw, Cwmavon           Erected in 1839     William Thomas, Minister       1851    (10)
• Rock Ind chapel (no parish) - 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 for this chapel (in Welsh) - with translation by Heulwen Jenkins (April 2009)

Seion/Zion Welsh Independent, Cwmafan

• Seion Welsh Independent, Cwmafan    Opened in 1824, still open in 1992  (1)
• There is a book by T.E. Roberts, gol.: Canmlwyddiant eglwys Seion, Cwmafan, 1821-1921: cipdrem ar hanes yr eglwys yn ystod y ganrif, (Port Talbot, d.d.), 41tt.    (5)
• Zion Welsh Congregational, Cwmavon       Seats 800      Rev Dan  Evans      1895 (6)
• Zion Welsh Congregational, Cwmavon       Seats 750   Rev John Phillips  1910  (7)
• Independent, Zion (Welsh)                 Rev. Edwd. Roberts, minister                     1871  (9)
• Independent chapel, Cwm Avon    Rev Edward Roberts  in Slaters Directory for 1858-1859
• Zion Ind Chapel            Erected in 1822          Edward Roberts, Minister          1851    (10)
• Seion/Bethania Ind chapel, Cwmafan - 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 for this chapel (in Welsh) - with translation by Gareth Hicks (May 2009)

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

• "Zion Independent Chapel marriage registers, 1908-1988."
  "Zion Independent Chapel in Cwmavon,was in existence by 1908"

Sardis Welsh Congregational, Pontrhydyfen

• Sardis Welsh Congregational, Pontrhydyfen    Seats 400       Rev David Richard Morgan   1910  (7)
• Sardis Welsh Congregational, Efail-fach         SS78649546       Built in 1856, modified, altered or rebuilt 1896 and 1905 (8)
• Sardis-Macpelah Ind chapel, Efail-fach -  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 for this chapel (in Welsh) - with translation by Gareth Hicks (May 2009)

Welsh Congregational, Pwllyglaw

• Welsh Congregational, Pwllyglaw         Rev David Rees  1895  (6)
• Welsh Congregational, Pwllyglaw   (Refers to Rock chapel -  is this the same place as Rock, Cwmavon ?)       
  Rev David Rees   1910  (7)
• Independent Welsh, Pwllyglaw  -   in Slaters Directory for 1858-1859

Tabernacle Independent chapel

• 1839, March 18; Protestant (endorsed: Independent); a chapel called Tabernacle situated Cumbychan; Richard Thomas of that parish, farmer    (3)

Dwelling House (Primitive Methodist), Pelly St, Cwmavon

• Dwelling House (Primitive Methodist), Pelly St, Cwmavon                Erected in 1848      Formerly dwelling house     John Pryor, Deacon, Pelly St, Cwmavaon              1851    (10)

Wesleyan, Cwmavon

• Wesleyan, English, Cwmavon      1895  (6)
• Wesleyan, English, Cwmavon      1910  (7)
• Wesleyan (English)               ministers various        1871  (9)
• English Wesleyan             Erected in 1849          Wm Williams, Minister, Neath        1851    (10)

• Cwmavon English Wesleyan: marriage registers, 1938-1971; accounts, 1847-1872
  Held at West Glamorgan Archive Service

Tabernacle Calvinistic Methodist (Welsh), Cwmafan

• Calvinistic Methodist (Welsh), Cwmavon    Seats 1000       Rev Thomas E Edwards    1895  (6)
• Calvinistic Methodist (Welsh), Cwmavon    Seats  1000      Rev John Henry Howard    1910  (7)
• Tabernacle CM chapel, Cwmafan    SS77909222     Built in 1854, modified, altered or rebuilt 1874, still in use in 2002   (8)
• Calvinistic Methodist (Welsh)          Rev. William Jones, Ynisygwas     1871  (9)
• Tabernacle Welsh CM            Erected in 1837/8         David Davies, Elder, Church Sq, Cwmavon    1851    (10)

• Tabernacl Cwmafon Welsh CM chapel          Tabernacl Terrace, Cwmafan, Aberafan, Castell Nedd ac Aberafan SA12 9H?     - still open in 2006

Capel Newydd CM chapel

• 1827, March 14; Protestant (endorsed: Calvinistic Methodist); a meeting-house called Capel Newydd; William Rees of that parish, farmer     (3)

Efail-fach CM chapel (Bryn Seion Mission Room), Efail-fach

• Efail-fach CM chapel (Bryn Seion Mission Room), Efail-fach    SS78649546   Not in use in 1984    (8)

Jerusalem Calvinistic Methodist, Pontrhydyfen

• There is an entry for Jerusalem, Pontrhydyfen in the index to the book;  History of the Methodists in West Glamorgan by The Rev. W Samlet Williams 1916 (Index)     (4)
• Jerusalem Welsh CM, Pontrhydyfen        Erected in 1826, rebuilt in 1845 and 1876    Seats 800       1895  (6)
• Jerusalem Welsh CM, Pontrhydyfen          1910  (7)
• Calvinistic Methodist chapel, Pontrhydyfen -  in Slaters Directory for 1858-1859
• Pontrhydyfen CM           Erected in 1826         John Williams, Manager, Pontrhydyfen Chapel House    1851    (10)

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

• Jerusalem Chapel, Pontyrhydyfen, marriage registers, 1965-1991

Capel y Cyfylchi (CM ?) chapel, near Pontrhydyfen

• There is a book by Thomas, Griffith. Lloffyn olaf o faes hynafiaethau Capel y Cyfylchi, ger Pontrhydyfen, Port Talbot. Treorchy : Argraffwyd gan Tom J. Davies, Emlyn Office, [1899].  126p    (2)
• Entry for 'Gyfylchi - chapel' in History of the Methodists in West Glamorgan by The Rev. W Samlet Williams 1916 (Index)    (4)

Salem CM chapel

• Salem Welsh CM chapel                  1910  (7)

• Bible Christian, Providence (Welsh) - ministers various      1871 (9)

Machpelah, Michaelstone Higher

• Machpelah, Michaelstone Higher      SS7994   Built in 1896   Denomination not given   (8)

Cwmafan, Cwmafon (sic)

• Cwmafan, Cwmafon      SS78359226     Built in 1850    Denomination not given     (8)