Hen-Dy-Cwrdd facts for kids
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Hen-Dy-Cwrdd (which means 'The Old Meeting Place') is a former Unitarian chapel in Trecynon, a town in Wales. This historic building once held religious services in the Welsh language. It's a special place because it's one of the oldest chapels in the area.
Contents
The Chapel's Beginning and Early Years
Hen-Dy-Cwrdd is very old, dating back to 1751. It was one of the first nonconformist chapels in the Aberdare area. Nonconformist chapels were places of worship for Protestants who didn't follow the official Church of England.
The chapel was started by members of the Cwm-y-glo chapel. It was built on land rented from Theophilus Richards. At first, it looked like a small house or inn with stairs on the outside. It could fit about 50 to 100 people. By 1853, around 60 people were members.
Ministers Who Made a Difference
Many important and brave ministers served at Hen-Dy-Cwrdd.
Thomas Evans: Poet and Reformer
One famous minister was Thomas Evans, also known as Tomos Glyn Cothi. He was a weaver from the Teifi Valley. He helped Unitarianism grow in his home area. Unitarianism is a type of Christian faith that believes in one God and emphasizes reason and individual freedom in belief.
In the early 1800s, Thomas Evans was known for his strong beliefs in freedom and equality, similar to the ideas of the French Revolution. He even translated the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, into Welsh! Because of his views, he was sent to prison in 1811. After he was released, he became the minister at Hen-Dy-Cwrdd and stayed there until he passed away in 1833.
John Jones: Writer and Activist
After Thomas Evans, John Jones became the minister and served for 30 years until 1863. John Jones was also very involved in politics and wrote for Udgorn Cymru, a Welsh newspaper that supported the Chartist movement. Chartism was a working-class movement in Britain that fought for political rights, like the right for all men to vote.
In 1847, John Jones helped start Yr Ymofynydd, a Unitarian magazine. This magazine is still published today!
A New Building for the Chapel
In 1861, the original chapel building was taken down. A much bigger chapel was built in its place. Even though it was designed to be simple, it looked like many other nonconformist chapels from that time.
The Chapel in the 1900s
In 1916, E.R. Dennis became the new minister at Hen-Dy-Cwrdd. He was from Aberdare. He had grown up in a different church, but his beliefs changed when he was a student, and he became a Unitarian. He started his role as minister on May 1, 1916.
E.R. Dennis was the minister at Hen-Dy-Cwrdd for over 30 years. He loved music and drama and helped start the Theatr Fach (Little Theatre) in Aberdare.
In 1945, D. Jacob Davies took over as minister. He was a poet and believed in peace. He became well-known in Wales as a journalist and a radio broadcaster. He was also the editor of Yr Ymofynnydd magazine for more than 20 years. He even wrote a book about the history of Hen-Dy-Cwrdd for its 200th anniversary.
Well-Known Members of the Chapel
Some important people were members of Hen-Dy-Cwrdd, including:
- Griffith Rhys Jones, a famous musician and conductor known as Caradog.
- Rhys Hopkin Rhys, who owned land and worked as a coal agent.
- W.W. Price, a historian who wrote about the Aberdare Valley.
The Chapel's Later Years
The Hen-Dy-Cwrdd chapel building closed its doors in 1994. However, the Unitarian community continued. Its members moved to Highland Place Chapel in Aberdare. Eric Jones continued to be their minister until he retired in 2004.
After the chapel closed, the Welsh Religious Buildings Trust bought the building in 2005. They are now working to restore the building so it can be preserved for the future.
