The Tabernacle Chapel (''Capel y Tabernacl'' in
Welsh), also known as Libanus Chapel, is a
Grade I listed chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
on Woodfield Street in
Morriston
Morriston (; cy, Treforys ) is a community in the City and County of Swansea, Wales and falls within the Morriston ward. It is the largest community in Swansea county.
Morriston is sometimes referred to as a distinct town (e.g. the local fo ...
, Swansea, Wales.
History
Designed by the architect John Humphrey and built at a cost of £15,000 in 1872 (equivalent to £ million in ), the chapel has seating for 3,000 and has been called the "
Nonconformist Cathedral of Wales".
The design was copied many times elsewhere in Wales. The pulpit is the focus and below this is the ''Sedd Fawr'' (big seat) for the deacons. The Welsh language inscription above the organ reads ''Addolwch yr Arglwydd mewn Prydferthwch Sancteiddrwydd'' (Worship ye the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness), from
Psalm 96
Psalm 96 is the 96th psalm of the Book of Psalms, a hymn. The first verse of the psalm calls to praise in singing, in English in the King James Version: "O sing a new song unto the Lord". Similar to Psalm 98 ("Cantate Domino") and Psalm 149, th ...
.
It is used for practice and performance by two local choirs: the Tabernacle Morriston Choir and the Morriston Ladies Choir.
During restoration work in 2012, workers recovered a
sixpenny piece placed under the original pinnacle – an unusual feature in a Nonconformist church – in 1872 by the daughter of the builder, industrialist Daniel Edwards.
["Historic sixpence found at Nonconformist 'cathedral' ", ''Heritage in Wales'', no 52. Retrieved 11 July 2012.]
Gallery
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabernacle Church, Morriston
Churches completed in 1872
Chapels in Swansea
Morriston, Tabernacle
Mass media and culture in Swansea