Llangwyryfon chapels

For further details of this project see Cardiganshire Chapels Database

Compiled by Gareth Hicks (March 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 )

Congregational

Saron Ind chapel (Capel Saron / Capel Bach), Llangwyryfon

• Saron Ind chapel (Capel Saron / Capel Bach), Llangwyryfon            SN59977056          Chapel built 1843, enlarged c.1872.      Members;  less than 20 in 1873         Not still open 1998 (demolished.)             (1) & (4)
• Saron           Ind                    Erected in 1843               Thomas Jones, Independent Minister      1851  (2)
• Ind chapel, Llangwyryfon    Now closed, no trace  [1992]      (7)
•  
• Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). Here below is the entry from this book for this chapel (in Welsh) copied from the Cd published by Archive CD Books - with translation
•  
• Photograph on Dyfed FHS

Methodist

Bethel Welsh CM chapel, Trefenter

• Bethel Welsh CM chapel, Trefenter      SN60686866    Started 1807, chapel built 1834, schoolroom built 1808.     Members; 93 in 1834     Records; see Tabor        Still open 1998   (1) & (4)
• Bethel    CM            Erected in 1808               David Jones, Deacon (To be left at D Jones, National Bank, Aberystwyth) ?    1851  (2)
•  
• Photograph on Dyfed FHS

• Bethel Trefenter CM chapel - still open in 2006

Moreia  CM chapel, Trefenter, Llangwyryfon

• Moreia  CM chapel, Trefenter, Llangwyryfon - built in 1907, still open in 2006 (1)

Tabor Welsh CM chapel, Llangwyryfon

• Tabor Welsh CM chapel, Llangwyryfon          SN59717064        Started 1740, worshipped at farm Tref-y-clawdd near Trefenter  Daniel preached here often     Chapel built 1769, rebuilt 1789, 1819, restored 1860       Records;   1. births & bapts 1816-37 PRO & in IGI    2.  births & bapts 1837-1968 NLW      3. account books 1819-45, 1846-82  NLW    4. Sunday school collection book 1907-33   NLW               Still open 1998       (1) & (4)  
• Tabor, Llangwiryfon    CM     Erected after 1800           John James, Deacon, Penycwm, Llangwiryfon      1851  (2)
• Tabor CM      Bapts 1816-37   PRO    Bapts 1837-1968  NLW   (3)
•  
• See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg
•  
• Photograph on Dyfed FHS

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

• Phillips of Tal-y-bont Papers       Including " ......papers relating to Tabor Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, Llangwyryfon, 1860-1926...."

• Tabor Llangwyryfon CM chapel - still open in 2006

Saron Independent chapel, Llangryryfon

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

(Vol 4, p 118)

"Yn y flwyddyn 1842 y dechreuwyd pregethu yn y lle hwn gan yr Annibynwyr. Dichon fod rhai pregethwyr Annibynol wedi bod yma yn achlysurol cyn hyny, ond y pryd hwnw y dechreuwyd cynal gwasanaeth cyson yma. Mr. B Rees, Llanbadarn, a Mr. T. Jones, Cilcenin, oedd y ddau weinidog cyntaf a ddeuent yma, ac mewn amaethdy a elwir Cilfachycoed y pregethent. Wedi i'r ddau frawd hyn fod yn pregethu yma yn lled fynych am oddeutu blwyddyn a haner, ac i fesur o fwyddiant ddilyn eu llafur, penderfynwyd adeiladu capel yn y gymydogaeth, yr hyn a wnaed, a ffurfiwyd yma eglwys. Agorwyd y capel Hydref 25ain a'r 26ain, 1843. Bu Mr. Rees a Mr. Jones yn cydweinidogaethu yma dros rywfaint o amser, ond oherwydd y galwad oedd am ei wasanaeth yn ei gylch cartrefol, rhoddodd Mr. Rees heibio ymweled a'r lle hwn, ac felly, syrthiodd y gofal yn hollol ar Mr. Jones, ond y mae rhai o weinidogion y sir a phregethwyr cynorthwyol yn llenwi ei le ar y Sabbothau na byddo efe yma. Y rhai sydd yn dyfod yma fynychaf yn bresenol yw Mr. Miles, Aberystwyth; Mr. Rowlands, Llanon; Mr. Thomas Thomas, Aberystwyth, a Mr. John Adams, Talybont. Cafodd y capel ei adgyweirio a'i harddu yn fawr yn ddiweddar. Yr oedd y draul i wneyd hyny tua thriugain punt. Nid yw nifer yr aelodau yn llawn ugain, na'r gwrandawyr ond ychydig mewn cymhariaeth, ond dichon y gwelir yr amser pan y bydd y fechan wedi myned yn fil, a'r wael yn genedl gref."*

* Llythyr Mr. Jones, Cilcenin.

Translation by Maureen Saycell (Jan 2008)

 "It was in the year 1842 that the Independents started to preach in this place, although some Independent Preachers had been here on occasionally before, it was then that regular services began. Mr B. Rees, Llanbadarn and Mr T. Jones, Cilcennin were the first two preachers to come here and they preached in a farmhouse called Cilfachycoed. After these two brothers had been preaching here fairly regularly for about a year and a half and  a measure of success following their work it was decided to build a Chapel in the neighbourhood, which was done and a Church was established. The Chapel was opened on October 25th and 26th, 1843. Mr Rees and Mr Jones held a joint Ministry here for a while but because of the call of duty in his home parish he stopped visiting and so the sole duty of care fell to Mr Jones with some of the other Ministers in the county helping on Sundays when he was away. The most frequent visiting  Ministers at present are Mr Miles, Aberystwyth; Mr Rowlands, Llannon; Mr Thomas Thomas, Aberystwyth and Mr John Adams Talybont. The Chapel was recently repaired and decorated. It was very difficult with only sixty pounds. The number of members are less than twenty, the listeners (attenders) are few in comparison, but hopefully the time will come when a few will become a thousand, and the weak will become strong"*
*Letter Mr Jones, Cilcennin.