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Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru

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(History of the Welsh Independent Churches)

By Thomas Rees and John Thomas; volume 2, pages 181-2, published in 1872.

Extracted by Darris G Williams - with translation by Eleri Rowlands

YNYSMUDW

Mae y lle hwn tua haner y ffordd o Bontardawy i Ystalyfera. Yr oedd yma amryw a aelodau yr Alltwen a'r Pantteg yn cyfaneddu, a chyfarfodydd gweddio yn cael eu cynal ganddynt, ond nid oedd gan yr Annibynwyr, nac un enwad arall, un addoldy o fewn dwy filldir i'r lle. Pan ddaeth Mr. Owen Jones, o Gastellnedd i fyw i'r ardal, darfu iddo ef a'i weinidog, Mr. Griffiths, o'r Alltwen, gydymgynghori, a phenderfynasant adeiladu yma gapel bychan yn 1862. Galwyd ei enw Bethesda. Costiodd y capel, a'r oriel a osodwyd ynddo ar ol ei adeiladu, 206p. 12s. 2c., heb son am doriad y sylfaen, a llawer a ddefnyddiau at y gwaith roddwyd yn rhad. Trwy lafur Mr. Grifflths a Mr. Owen Jones, talwyd yr oll o'r ddyled a chynaliwyd yma gyfarfod jubili, Hydref 26ain a'r 27ain, 1864, pryd y pregethodd Meistri Davies, Taihirion; Davies, New Inn; Morgans, Maesteg; Mathews, Castellnedd, a Pryse, Cwmllynfell. Pris y tir ar ba un yr adeiladwyd y capel yw swllt yn y flwyddyn. Cynlluniwyd yr adeilad, arolygwyd y gwaith, a thalwyd am y to gan Mr. Griffiths, o'r Alltwen. Ffurfiwyd yma eglwys, ac y mae oddiar ei ffurfiad hyd yn bresenol dan ofal Mr. Griffiths. Yma, os nad ydym yn camgymeryd, y dechreuodd y brawd gweithgar Owen Jones arfer ei ddoniau fel pregethwr. Gan fod poblogaeth yr ardal hon yn debyg o gynyddu yn fawr, gellir disgwyl y bydd yma gynnulleidfa luosog yn mhen ychydig o amser.

Translation by Eleri Rowlands (Jan 2008)

This place is about half way between Pontardawe and Ystalyfera. Several members from Alltwen and Pantteg lived here and they held prayer meetings but neither the Independents nor any other denomination had a place of worship within two miles. When Mr Owen Jones, from Neath came to live in the area he and his minister, Mr Griffiths from Alltwen consulted with each other and in 1862 decided to build a small chapel. It was called Bethesda. The chapel, and the gallery, which was placed there after the building was built, cost £206.12s.2d (around £206) besides the cutting of the foundations and many materials for the work that were given free. Through the hard work of Mr Griffiths and Mr Owen Jones, the whole debt was paid and a jubilee service was held on October 26th and 27th, 1864, when Mr Davies, Taihirion; Mr Davies, New Inn; Mr Morgans, Maesteg; Mr Mathews, Neath, and Mr Pryse, Cwmllynfell preached. The price of the land on which the chapel was built was one shilling a year. The building was designed, the work was inspected and  the roof was paid for by Mr Griffiths from Alltwen. A chapel was established here and it is from its foundation to the present day under the care of Mr Griffiths. Here, if we are not mistaken, the hard working brother, Owen Jones practiced his gift as a preacher. Since the population of this district is likely to grow greatly, it is to be expected that there will soon be a large congregation.

[Last Updated : 12 Jan 2008 - Gareth Hicks]