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

LLANDUDOCH (Capel Degwel)

(Vol 3, p 103/4)

"Saif y dref hon ar lan Teifi, tua milldir yn nes i'r mor nag Aberteifi. Y mae yn un o'r lleoedd prydferthaf, glanaf, ac iachaf, yn Nghymru. Wrth fyned o Aberteifi i'r lle yn nechreu yr haf, y mae yr olwg arno yn swynol ; y tai yn wynion, a'r coed-ffrwythau yn eu llawn flodau ar hyd godreuon tri o fryniau. Y mae y rhan luosocaf o'r trefwyr yn berchenogion eu tai eu hunain, a llawer o honynt a'u llongau, a'u cychod pysgota eu hunain; felly capteiniaid, morwyr, a physgodwyr yw y rhan luosocaf o'r bobl. Dechreuwyd yr achos Annibynol yma gan aelodau o Aberteifl, Trewen, a Threwyddel. Cyfarfodydd gweddio o dy i dy oedd y peth cyntaf, a fu yma. Wedi i'r rhai hyn ddyfod yn dipyn o allu ar foesau y bobl, a chael derbyniad gan y trigolion, cryf haodd dwylaw a meddwl y dysgyblion. Ceisiwyd gan Mr. Phillips; Trewyddel, ddyfod yma i bregethu. Cofia yr hen bobl am dano yn pregethu y tro cyntaf, mewn hen dy oedd yn cael ei gadw at bwyso pysgod. Yr oedd hyn yn foreu yn y ganrif yma. Wedi hyn dechreuwyd cadw ysgol Sabbothol mewn lle a elwir Penyrallt, lle yr oedd John Davies yn byw; dyn da a chymwynasgar iawn, ond ni arddelodd grefydd hyd ei fedd. Y mae Mrs. Davies, ei weddw, yn fyw, ac yn 90 mlwydd oed, a'i chalon a'i llaw mor gynes a hael gyda'r achos ag erioed. Y mae hi a'i merch yn aelodau, a'r ddau fab yn ddiaconiaid yn yr eglwys hon. Cymerodd Mr. Davies, Aberteifi, y lle hwn dan ei nawdd. Yn 1826, prynwyd hen dy at godi capel, ac yn 1828, adeiladwyd ef, a galwyd ef Capel Degwel, oddiwrth enw Saesoneg mae y lle yn debyg. Ryw amser rhwng 1835 ac 1840 ffurfiwyd eglwys yma. Cyn hyny i Aberteifi yr ai y rhan luosocaf i gymundeb, a rhai i Drewen a Threwyddel. Diaconiaid cyntaf yr eglwys hon oedd :-David Williams, dilledydd, aelod gwreiddiol o Aberteifi, a David James, Ysguborwen, amaethwr, aelod gwreiddiol o Drewen. Aeth D. James i'r Eglwys Wladol, yn herwydd rhyw ymrafael, cyn diwedd ei oes; bu farw yn gymharol ieuangc, yr oedd yn ddyn da iawn ; ond arosodd Mrs. James gyda'r Annibynwyr hyd ei bedd. Claddwyd hi yn 1871. Yr oedd hi yn un o'r ffyddloniaid. Y mae eu plant yma hyd y dydd hwn, ac un o honynt yn ddiacon. A'r hyn sydd yn rhyfedd, aeth holl deulu David Williams i'r Eglwys Wladol ar ol ei gladdu ef. Yr oedd yntau yn Israeliad yn wir. Y diaconiaid nesaf oedd :- David Owen, Clogmaker, a Thomas Jones, Tyhir. Yr oeddynt yn ddynion da a defnyddiol, ond mae y ddau wedi huno yn yr angau. Rhaid i ni ddyweyd gair yn y fan hon am un arall a daflodd ei holl galon i achos Mab Duw yn y lle hwn, sef Mrs Davies, Sailor's - home; trwy lythyr y daeth hi yma o Aberteifi. Yr oedd ty ei rhieni yn gartref pregethwyr, ac felly ei thy hithau. Bu farw yn 1870.

"Yr hyn a allodd hon, hi a'i gwnaeth."

Mae ei phlant oll gyda chrefydd, ac yn llawn caredigrwydd fel eu rhieni. Y mae ei phriod yn fyw, ac yn ddiacon yn yr eglwys.

Yn y flwyddyn 1864, rhoddodd Mr. Dayies, Aberteifi, ofal yr eglwys hon i fyny, ac yn 1865, unodd Capel Degwel a Tyrhos i roddi galwad i Mr. Edwin Jones, ysgolfeistr yn Llechryd, ac urddwyd of Hydref 25ain a'r 26ain, 1865. Yn 1867, aeth oddiyma i Rehoboth, Brynmawr, Mynwy. Yn niwedd y flwyddyn hono, rhoddwyd galwad i Mr. J. M. Davies, Maesycwmwr, a dechreuodd ei weinidogaeth yr ail Sabboth yn 1868, ac ar yr 11 eg a'r 12fed o Chwefror, bu ei sefydliad yn y ddau le.

Codwyd dau yma i bregethu :-

• David Owen, y diacon. Yr oedd yn ddyn da, doniol, a defnyddiol iawn. Aeth i America yn 1870. Yr oedd tua 60 mlwydd oed pan aeth yno. Cafodd alwad oddiwrth ddwy eglwys, ond bu farw cyn ei ordeinio.
• Joseph Jones. Brawd i Meistri Jones, Cillenin, a Jones, Pentretygwyn. Aeth i Merthyr i fyw, ac yno y mae yn awr yn Ynysgau.

Diaconiaid presenol ydynt : -

Capt. John Davies, James James, David Davies, John Davies, a Thomas Selby."

 

Translation by Maureen Saycell (Jan 2008)

 "This town stands on the shores of the Teifi, about a mile nearer the sea than Cardigan. It is one of the most beautiful, cleanest, and healthiest places in Wales. Going there from Cardigan in early summer, it looks enchanting; the houses all white and the fruit trees in full flower at the base of three hills. Most of the residents own their own houses, many of them with their own ships and fishing boats, therefore most of the residents are sea Captains, sailors and fishermen. The Independent cause was started by members of Cardigan, Trewen and Trewyddel. It began with prayer meetings held from house to house. As they gained influence on the people's morality, and were accepted by the people, the hands and minds of the disciples strengthened. Mr Phillips, Trewyddel was asked to come and give a sermon. The older people remember him preaching for the first time in an old house which was used for weighing fish. This was early in this century. After this a Sunday School was started and held in a place called Penrallt, where John Davies lived, he was a good and kind man but he never followed religion to the end of his life. Mrs Davies, his widow, is still alive aged 90 years and her heart and hand continue to be as warm and generous to the cause. Both her and her daughter are members, and her two sons are deacons in this church. Mr Davies, Cardigan took this place under his wing. In 1926 an old house was bought in order for a chapel to be built, and in 1828 it was built, and it was called Tegwel Chapel, from a similar English name. Sometime between 1835 and 1840 a church was established. Before that most people went to Cardigan for holy communion, others went to Trewen or Trewyddel. The first deacons of this Church were:- David Williams, clothier, originally a member in Cardigan and David James, Ysguborwen, farmer, originally a member at Trewen., D. James went to the Church of Wales, because of some disagreement, before the end of his life. He died comparatively young, but he was a good man, but Mrs James stayed with the Independents till her death. She was buried in 1871. She was one of the faithful. Their children are here to this day, one of them a deacon. This is a very strange thing, all of David Williams' family went to the Church of Wales after he was buried. And he was a true son of Israel. The next deacons were:- David Owen, Clogmaker, and Thomas Jones, Tyhir. They were both good and useful men, but both have now died. Here must be mentioned another who threw her whole heart into the cause of the Son of God in this place, being Mrs Davies, Sailor's-home, she moved from Cardigan with a letter. Her parents home was a home for ministers, as was her home. She died in 1870.

"That which she could do, she did."

Her children all have religion, and are as full of kindness as their parents. Her husband is still alive and is a deacon of the church.

In 1864 Mr Davies relinquished the care of this church, and in 1865 Capel Degwel and Tyrhos combined to call Mr Edwin Jones, a schoolmaster in Llechryd, he was inducted on October 24th and 26th, 1865. In 1867 he left for Rehoboth, Brynmawr, Monmouth. At the end of this year a call was sent to Mr J. M. Davies, Maesycwmwr, he began his ministry on the second Sunday of 1868, and his induction was on February 11th and 12th in both places.

Two ministers came from here :-

• David Owen, deacon. He was a good, humorous and very useful man. He went to America in 1870. He was about 60 years old when he went. He received a call from two churches but died before he was ordained.
• Joseph Jones. Brother of Messrs Jones, Cillenin, and Jones, Pentretygwyn. He went to Merthyr to live, and remains in Ynysgau.

The current deacons are:-

Capt. John Davies, James James, David Davies, John Davies, and Thomas Selby."

 

(Gareth Hicks  - 17 Jan 2008)