St Elvan's Church, Aberdare facts for kids
St Elvan's Church is a historic church located right in the middle of Aberdare, a town in Wales. It is an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church in Wales. This church is very special because it is a Grade II* listed building. This listing means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. The church was built between 1851 and 1852. A person named John Griffith was the vicar (a type of priest) of Aberdare at that time. He was a big reason why the church was built.
Back in 1849, John Griffith wrote about how many people lived in Aberdare. The town had almost 14,000 people, and more were moving there every year. However, the old church, St John's, was very small. It could only fit fewer than 200 people. This meant there wasn't enough space for everyone who wanted to attend church services.
Building a New Church
A plan to build a new church in Aberdare started in 1850. A public meeting was held to discuss the idea. People were very excited about it! In just nine days, they managed to raise £1,000 from donations. By February 1851, the donations grew to £2,500. This was close to the £3,000 they thought they needed for the new building.
Designing the Church
An architect named Andrew Moseley was chosen to design the new church. He drew up the plans for what St Elvan's Church would look like. However, by February 1852, they realized they still didn't have enough money. So, they started another fundraising campaign.
Opening Day
Within a few months, the building work was finished. St Elvan's Church officially opened on September 30, 1852. The services were led by Alfred Ollivant, who was the Bishop of Llandaff. It was a very big event! Special trains brought people from cities like Cardiff, Swansea, and Neath to celebrate. Many important families from Glamorgan attended. Even schoolgirls from a school run by Lady Charlotte Guest in Dowlais came. They were all dressed in traditional Welsh costumes. St Elvan's Church was officially made sacred, or "consecrated," on September 25, 1854.
Church Updates
The inside of St Elvan's Church was updated and redecorated in 1961. This work was done by an artist and architect named Stephen Dykes Bower. He made sure the church's interior looked beautiful and welcoming.
Official Website
You can find more information about St Elvan's Church online. They have an official website and social media pages. You can visit their website at https://www.stelvans.com.
