Bethel, Miskin facts for kids

Bethel, Miskin was a special kind of church building called a chapel located on Glyngwyn Street in Miskin, a part of Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, Wales. It was an Independent chapel, meaning it was not part of a larger church organization. People who went to Bethel Chapel spoke Welsh, and all the services were held in that language.

How Bethel Chapel Began

The story of Bethel Chapel started with a Sunday School. This was a place where people, especially children, learned about the Bible. The first Sunday School meetings were led by a person named Henry Eynon. They met in a large room at a place called the Bailey Arms.

People from another chapel, Bethania in Mountain Ash, helped a lot to get Bethel Chapel going. At first, weekly meetings for Bethel were held in a house at 33 Victoria Street.

Building the First Chapel

Soon, the house became too small for all the people who wanted to attend. So, in 1896, a very first chapel building was put up. It was quite unusual because it was made of zinc! However, this zinc chapel was only meant to be temporary. Just four years later, it was taken down to make room for a bigger and better building.

The New Chapel in the 1900s

The new, much larger Bethel Chapel was officially opened in 1903. This impressive building could seat about 600 people! It cost a lot of money to build, around £2,947, which was a huge sum back then. The person who designed the chapel was an architect named T.W. Miller, who also lived in Mountain Ash.

It took many years for the community to pay off the building cost. They finally managed to clear all the debt by 1923, which was a big achievement for the chapel members.

Chapel Leaders and Ministers

A minister named L. Bevan led the chapel until 1915. He then moved to another town called Pontnewynydd in Monmouthshire. For three years after he left, Bethel Chapel did not have a permanent minister.

Then, in 1918, a new minister named J.H. Evans joined the chapel. He came all the way from Newport in Pembrokeshire.

Later Years and Closure

Bethel Chapel continued to serve its community for many decades. However, like many chapels in the area, it eventually closed its doors in the late 1900s.

In 1995, the demolition of the chapel building was filmed. This footage was used for a TV show called On the Chapel Trail. This documentary was made by HTV, a television company, and was presented by Professor Anthony Jones. The show explored the history and importance of chapels in Wales.