Soar Chapel, Cwmaman facts for kids

Soar, Cwmaman was a special place of worship called a Welsh Calvinistic Methodist chapel. It was located on Fforchaman Road in the village of Cwmaman, which is in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.

The Start of Soar Chapel

The idea for Soar Chapel began during a big religious movement in 1859. This movement was led by a person named Dafydd Morgan. At first, people met in the home of Thomas Anthony, who was an engineer at the Shepherd's Pit in the village. Soar was like a branch of another chapel called Libanus, Aberaman.

Building the First Chapel

In 1868, the very first building for Soar Chapel fell down. This happened because it was built right above a coal mine owned by David Bevan. But the community didn't give up! They rebuilt the chapel the very next year, in 1869.

A Place for Culture

Soar Chapel wasn't just for worship. In 1878, it hosted the first-ever Cwmaman village Eisteddfod. An Eisteddfod is a Welsh festival where people compete in music, poetry, and other arts. It was a big event for the village!

Later Years and Growth

The chapel was rebuilt again in 1895. This new building was much bigger and cost £3,070. It could hold about 650 people inside. A special stone, called a memorial stone, was laid by D.A. Thomas, who was a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected to represent people in the government.

Ministers and Membership

The first two ministers (leaders) of Soar Chapel were Reverend W. Tefilan Griffiths and Reverend Williams Davies. Later, W.D. Morris became the minister and served for a very long time, forty years! He was there from 1886 until 1926. During his time, the number of people who were members of the chapel grew to 350 by 1912.

Closing of Soar Chapel

Soar Chapel eventually closed its doors in 1992. The building itself was taken down six years later, in 1998.