Heolyfelin Chapel, Trecynon, Aberdare (also spelled Heol-y-Felin) was a Welsh Baptist chapel established in 1855. Services were held in the
Welsh language
Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic languages, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% of the population, by some in England, and in (the Welsh c ...
. 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
]
A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes.
Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...
were established in the area that later became known as
Trecynon
Trecynon is a village near Aberdare, situated in the Cynon Valley, 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.
Toponymy
Trecynon ...
.
Heolyfelin, literally the 'Mill Road', refers to the Aberdare Ironworks at nearby
Llwydcoed
Llwydcoed is a small village and Community (Wales), community north of the Cynon Valley, 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 th ...
which were established in 1800. When Ysguborwen Colliery was opened at Llwydcoed in 1849, those who moved to the locality included many
Baptists
Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
, and they initially held prayer meetings at the Wesleyan Chapel.
The chapel was designed in 1852 by Thomas Joseph, an engineer from
Hirwaun
Hirwaun (, ; ) is a village and Community (Wales), community at the north end of the Cynon Valley in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. It is NW of the town of Aberdare, and comes under the Aberdare post town. At the United Ki ...
who was involved in colliery enterprises at
Aberdare
Aberdare ( ; ) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and River Cynon, Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tydf ...
. Heolyfelin was a branch of
Ramoth, Hirwaun, although
Thomas Price Thomas Price may refer to:
*Thomas Price (South Australian politician) (1852–1909), Premier of South Australia
*Thomas Price (bishop) (1599–1685), Church of Ireland archbishop of Cashel
*Thomas Price (Carnhuanawc) (1787–1848), Welsh literary ...
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.
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
Nineteen or 19 may refer to:
* 19 (number)
* One of the years 19 BC, AD 19, 1919, 2019
Films
* ''19'' (film), a 2001 Japanese film
* ''Nineteen'' (1987 film), a 1987 science fiction film
* '' 19-Nineteen'', a 2009 South Korean film
* '' Dici ...
, 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 Baptist denomination Wales. It is affiliated with the Free Church Council, Cytûn (Churches Together in Wales), the European Baptist Federation, and the Baptist World Alliance. The headqua ...
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