Bethel Chapel, Abernant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bethel, Abernant |
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Bethel Chapel
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| 51°43′17.6160″N 3°25′47.3160″W / 51.721560000°N 3.429810000°W | |
| Denomination | Baptist |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1846 |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Simple Round-headed |
| Years built | 1856–1895 |
| Completed | 1895 (replacing earlier building) |
| Construction cost | £344 (1856) |
Bethel, Abernant is a Baptist chapel located in Abernant, a village in the Aberdare Valley in Wales. It is special because it is one of the few nonconformist chapels in the area that has stayed open into the 21st century.
Contents
About Bethel Chapel
How it Started
Bethel Chapel began as a Sunday School in 1846. It was a branch of Calfaria, Aberdare, another chapel nearby. Reverend John Thomas looked after the Sunday School.
The church itself officially started in 1857. A key person in its creation was Thomas Price. He was the minister of Calfaria, Aberdare, and a very important leader for Baptists in the area.
Building the Chapel
The first schoolroom was built in 1856. It cost £344. But it quickly became too small for the growing community. So, in 1861, it was taken down. A new, bigger chapel was built in its place.
On May 20, 1862, a special event happened. Members from Calfaria and other churches marched from Aberdare to Abernant. Thomas Price led this procession. They laid a foundation stone for the new chapel.
Just seven months later, the building was ready! The opening services were held on December 7 and 8, 1862. To help Bethel grow, 163 members moved from Calfaria to join the new chapel. Thomas Price helped many new chapels start. He released 927 people from Calfaria to help build these local churches.
Keeping the Community Together
Thomas Price worked hard to keep all the Baptist churches connected. He organized events like baptism services in the Cynon River. He also held yearly eisteddfodau, which are Welsh festivals of literature, music, and performance.
A local person remembered these river baptisms from 1913. They said that once a month, Dr. Price would baptize new members in the Cynon River. This happened near the iron bridge at Commercial Street. Sometimes, 25 to 30 people were baptized in one afternoon.
On these days, all the Baptist community would gather at the chapel. They would march through the streets with the people to be baptized. The men wore long black robes, and the women wore white. They sang hymns as they walked. Many people would gather by the river to watch these special ceremonies.
Price also used a pool above the original schoolroom for baptisms. This pool was made for the chapel by Richard Fothergill. He owned the local ironworks.
Important Changes and Leaders
Early Ministers
William Williams became the first minister of Bethel in 1864. He stayed for about a year before moving to Abercarn. After him, T.T. Jones became minister for 18 months. During his time, he performed 159 baptisms.
Jones also made Bethel a center for learning. He gave talks about Geology. This shows how important chapels were for educating working-class people. This was before elementary education was available to everyone.
In 1867, Bethel was one of the first chapels in the Aberdare Valley to get an indoor baptismal pool. This meant people no longer had to be baptized in the river.
John Fuller-Davies was minister from 1869 to 1872. Many people attended his funeral at Aberdare cemetery. By 1873, the chapel had paid off its building debt of £800.
John Mills became minister in 1876. He had been a minister in other places before coming to Bethel. He stayed until he passed away in 1909.
Growing Bigger
By 1880, Bethel Chapel had 240 members. In 1895, the chapel was changed again. This cost £2000. After this, it could seat 750 people.
The Twentieth Century and Beyond
In December 1912, Bethel celebrated 50 years since its chapel building opened. They held a week of special services.
Reverend B. Williams became minister in January 1914. That same year, 47 young men from Bethel joined the armed forces. In 1916, the chapel had 395 members. This number stayed steady at 398 in 1925. Williams was minister until 1932.
Other ministers followed him:
- Alun J. Davies (1938–1945)
- Emlyn Jones (1950–1956)
- Glyn E. Williams (1957–1959)
- Idwal Wynne Owen (from 1961)
The number of members slowly decreased over time. In 1955, there were 154 members. By 1963, there were 137. In 2004, about eight members attended services. Bethel Chapel continues to be an important part of its community's history.
