Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru.

(History of the Welsh Independent Churches)

By Thomas Rees & John Thomas; 4 volumes (published 1871+)

Extracted  by Gareth Hicks from the CD published by Archive CD Books (Jan 2008)  - with translation

Antioch, Llanfyrnach

 (Vol 3, p71/2)

"Cynhelid ysgol Sabbothol gan aelodau Penygroes yn Bwlchyclawdd, ac ar ol hyny yn y Fronlwyd. Rhoddodd Mr. T. Thomas, Fronlwyd, dir at adeiladu addoldy, a mynwent yn ei ymyl. Agorwyd ef Mawrth 27ain, 1846. Ni fwriadwyd ef ar y cyntaf ond i gynal ysgol Sabbothol a phregethu yn achlysurol ynddo; ond yn y flwyddyn 1858, yn ystod gweinidogaeth Mr. D. Jones, ffurilwyd yma eglwys. Mae cychwynwyr yr achos yma, agos oll erbyn hyn, wedi eu symud ymaith ; ac y mae y ddau frawd ffyddlon John James a Thomas James yn gorwedd yn y fynwent gerllaw. Simon James hefyd, yr hwn oedd yn fawr ei sel gydag adeiladaeth y capel, a symudodd i ardal Llechryd, ac a fu farw yno. Mae David Morris hefyd, yr hwn a fu am flynyddau yn arwain y canu, wedi ei gymeryd ymaith. Mae yr eglwys fechan yma mewn tymor byr wedi dyoddef colledion mawr. Mae rhagolygon yr eglwys yma yn fwy addawol nag y buont. Mae gorsaf ar reilffordd Dyffryn Taf, yr hon sydd yn cychwyn o Whitland, i fod yn ymyl y capel yma, ac y mae yr eglwys yn y lle yn paratoi at adeiladu capel newydd. Mae Antioch o'r dechreuad wedi bod mewn cysylltiad gweinidogaethol a Phenygroes, ac felly y mae yn parhau."

Translation by Gareth Hicks

"A Sunday school was kept in Bwlchclawdd by members of Penygroes, and after that in the Fronlwyd. Mr T Thomas of Fronlwyd gave land to build a school room, with a graveyard at its side. It opened on the 27th of March 1846. In the beginning it was not intended to do other than hold a Sunday school and the occasional preaching there; but in 1858, during the ministry of Mr D Jones, a church was established here. The founders of the cause are here, almost all by now, have been taken away [died?]; and the two faithful brothers John James and Thomas James lie in the nearby graveyard. Also Simon James, who was most enthusiastic over the building of the chapel, and he moved to the Llechryd area, and died there. Also David Morris, who was for years the leader of the singing, has been taken away. This small church has suffered  large losses over a short period of time. The church's outlook is more promising than it was. There is a station on the Taf Vale railway, which starts from  Whitland, to be near to this chapel, and the church in this place is preparing to build a new chapel. From the beginning Antioch has been ministerially connected to Penygroes, and so it continues."

(Gareth Hicks  - 15 Jan 2008)