Alltyblaca chapel (U), Llanwenog NLW3363171

Alltyblaca is a village in the Welsh county of

Ceredigion Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cere ...

, Mid-West Wales, located on the road between

Llanybydder Llanybydder (, sometimes formerly spelt ''Llanybyther'') is a market town and community straddling the River Teifi in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. At the 2011 Census, the population of the community was 1638, an increase from 1423 at the 2001 ...

and

Llanwnnen Llanwnnen is a village, parish and community located in the county of Ceredigion Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Cere ...

The chapel

There has been a chapel in the village since 1740. This was the sister chapel to the building at Llwynrhydowen and at different times adopted the stances of the

Arminian Arminianism is a branch of Protestantism based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609) and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants. Dutch Arminianism was originally articulated in the ''Re ...

Arian Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God t ...

and later the Unitarian theologies. In the nineteenth century, this part of West Wales became known as the ''Smotyn du'' (Black spot) because of the predominance of Unitarianism in the area, and Alltyblacca was an important regional centre. The present building was erected in 1837 and restored in 1892. It is built in the same style as the Unitarian chapels at Rhydygwin, near

Felinfach Felin-fach is a community in Powys, Wales, northeast of Brecon. The community had a population of 673 as of the 2011 UK Census. It includes the villages and hamlets Llandyfaelog Tre'r-graig, Llanfilo, Tredomen, Trefeitha, Pen-isa'r-waen and Tal ...

, and

Cribyn Cribyn is a small village in Ceredigion, Wales, about 7 miles (11 km) north of Lampeter and with the villages of Troed y Rhiw, Mydroilyn and Dihewyd to the north. History and amenities Once a thriving community with two pubs, a garage and ...

. The building has a central arched window, with a pair of arched doors at either side and square windows opening above. Inside, there is a panelled gallery on three sides supported by iron columns manufactured at the Priory Foundry at

Carmarthen Carmarthen (, RP: ; cy, Caerfyrddin , "Merlin's fort" or "Sea-town fort") is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy. north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. The population was 14,185 in 2011, ...

. The chapel stands in a cemetery, and the dwelling house by the gate used at one time to house a schoolroom on its upper floor.

References

Villages in Ceredigion {{Ceredigion-geo-stub