Heolyfelin Chapel, Trecynon, Aberdare (also spelled Heol-y-Felin) was a Welsh Baptist chapel established in 1855. Services were held in the Welsh language. The building seated 800. By December 2015 the chapel had closed and was for sale.

Early history

The origins of the church at Heolyfelin date back to the 1840s, when prayer meetings and a Sunday school were established in the area that later became known as

Trecynon Trecynon is a village near Aberdare situated in the Cynon Valley, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It dates from the early nineteenth century and developed as a result of the opening of the Aberdare Ironworks at Llwydcoed in 1800. Etymology The s ...

. Heolyfelin, literally the 'Mill Road', refers to the Aberdare Ironworks at nearby

Llwydcoed Llwydcoed is a small village and community north of the Cwm Cynon, near the town of Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, with a population of 1,302 as of 2011 census. History The village initially developed in the Tregibbon area, where in 1801 ...

which were established in 1800. When Ysguborwen Colliery was opened at Llwydcoed in 1849, those who moved to the locality included many

Baptists Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

, and they initially held prayer meetings at the Wesleyan Chapel. The chapel was designed in 1852 by Thomas Joseph, an engineer from Hirwaun who was involved in colliery enterprises at

Aberdare Aberdare ( ; cy, Aberdâr) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tyd ...

. Heolyfelin was a branch of

Ramoth, Hirwaun Ramoth, Hirwaun originally a Baptist chapel in Davies Row, Hirwaun, Aberdare, Wales. Services at Ramoth were held in the Welsh language. Following renovation in 1982, the building continues to be used for Christian worship as an Assemblies of God ...

, although Thomas Price of Calfaria who was also instrumental in setting up the new cause. Thomas Joseph had opened a new colliery at Trecynon and he persuaded many colliers who were members at Ramoth to move with him from Hirwaun. The chapel cost £800 to build.

Soar, Llwydcoed Soar, Llwydcoed was a Baptist Chapel in Kingsbury Place, Llwydcoed, Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales. Services at Soar were held in the Welsh language. Soar was a branch of Heolyfelin, a neighbouring Baptist chapel. The first services were held in hous ...

was a branch of Heolyfelin. There was a consistently high membership at Heolyfelin, between 350 and 500, from 1860 until the First World War. Membership peaked in 1906, soon after the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival, during which 95 new members were baptised at Heolyfelin in December 1904. The first minister, from 1852 until 1861, was Benjamin Evans of Hirwaun. William Harries, president of the

Baptist Union of Wales The Baptist Union of Wales (Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru) is a fellowship of Baptist churches in Wales. History The General Baptist minister Hugh Evans was one of the first Baptists to preach in Wales around 1646, in the parishes of Llan-hir, Cefnllys, ...

in 1891-2, was minister at Heolyfelin from 1862 to 1902. In 1877 Harries received a call from a church in Pembrokeshire but was eventually persuaded to remain at Heolyfelin.

Twentieth century

He was succeeded by W. Cynog Williams who came to Heolyfelin from Pembrokeshire. Early in his ministry, classrooms for use by the Sunday School were erected. The Chapel was strengthened by the 1904 Religious Revival and on Sunday, 4 December 1904, 94 new members were baptised. Williams served from 1903 until 1941. Herbert Davies came to Heolyfelin from Birkenhead in 1944. He left in 1947 and was succeeded by D. Meredith Morgan. Today the chapel membership has declined to single figures.

References

Sources

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External links

Coflein entry
{{coord, 51.7223, -3.4565, display=title Chapels in Rhondda Cynon Taf Aberdare Baptist churches in Wales Grade II listed churches in Rhondda Cynon Taf