Bethania Chapel, Aberdare facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bethania, Aberdare |
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Bethania Chapel in ruins in 2014
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| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Calvinistic Methodist |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Chapel |
| Style | Late 19th century |
| Completed | 1853 |
| Closed | c. 1990 |
| Demolished | 2015 |
Bethania was a special church building, called a chapel, for a group of Christians known as Calvinistic Methodists. It was located in Aberdare, a town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, United Kingdom. This chapel could hold about 550 people. It had a bit of a hidden entrance, reached by climbing a long set of steps.
Bethania was considered an important historical building. It was given a special "Grade II listed" status on 1 October 1991. This means it was recognized for its historical or architectural importance. The chapel closed its doors in the early 1990s and was later taken down in 2015.
Contents
The Story of Bethania Chapel
The idea for Bethania Chapel started with a Sunday School. This school met at the Black Lion hotel, which was right in front of where the chapel would later be built.
Building the First Chapel
The very first chapel building was put up in 1853. It was designed by Evan Griffiths, an architect from Aberdare. David Evans built it on a piece of land called Cae Tirion. This land was part of the Ynyslwyd estate. The cost to build this first chapel was about £500. That was a lot of money back then!
Important People at Bethania
From 1870 to 1908, a minister named William James led the chapel. He came from a place called Trefin in Pembrokeshire. William James was also involved in the community. He served on the Aberdare School Board for several years, helping with local education.
Later Years and Changes
After the Second World War, fewer people attended Bethania. Its membership declined quite quickly. However, the opening of a new Welsh primary school, Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdâr, briefly helped the Sunday School. This allowed the minister at the time to speak to the children in Welsh. This was the first time in many years that this had happened. In 1965, a special service was held at Bethania. It marked 100 years since the Welsh colony was founded in Patagonia.
