Tabernacle, Abercynon was a Calvinistic Methodist chapel in Edward Street,

Abercynon Abercynon () is a village and community (Wales), community (and electoral ward) in the Cynon Valley within the unitary authority of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The community comprises the village and the districts of Carnetown and Grovers Field to ...

Mid Glamorgan Mid Glamorgan () is a preserved county of Wales. From 1974 until 1996 it was also an administrative county with a county council. Mid Glamorgan was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It consisted of part of the former adminis ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. Services at Tabernacle were conducted 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 ...

Early history

The church commenced in 1892, when meetings are recorded as being held in various houses and at the Junction stables. The first building, which became the vestry and Sunday school was built in 1893. Membership increased rapidly and a larger chapel was built in 1898. The new building could accommodate 550 people. The first minister was M.H. Jones, who moved from Abercynon to Water Street Chapel, Carmarthen.

Twentieth century

In 1903 the Rev. William Jones became minister and remained until he moved to

Pontrhydfendigaid Pontrhydfendigaid () is a village in Ceredigion, Wales. It lies on the western flank of the Cambrian Mountains, between Devil's Bridge and Tregaron. The village lies on the River Teifi, whose source is just 3 miles (5 km) to the east at Lly ...

in 1914. During the 1904/05 Religious Revival, membership rose to 300. Around 1912, a vestry was built at Glancynon Terrace, where a branch Sunday School and week-night services were held for the benefit of the members living on the left bank of the river Cynon. The debts arising from the building of the chapel and vestry were cleared in 1919. The church was without a minister during the first World War, but in 1919, the Rev W.M. Davies of

Treorchy Treorchy (; ) is a town and Community (Wales), community (and electoral ward) in Wales. Once a mining town, it retains such characteristics. Situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in the Rhondda Fawr valley. Treorchy is also one of t ...

, a native of Goginan, near

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth (; ) is a University town, university and seaside town and a community (Wales), community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is the largest town in Ceredigion and from Aberaeron, the county's other administrative centre. In 2021, the popula ...

, was inducted as minister at Tabernacle. The chapel building suffered from problems with subsidence for many years. The minister during the 1960s was D. Ben Rees who later ministered in Liverpool for over forty years. During his time at Abercynon, Rees completed a thesis on nonconformity in the Aberdare Valley which was later published in 1975 as ''Chapels in the Valley''. Tabernacle closed in 1991 and both chapel and vestry were demolished in 1993.

References

Bibliography

* {{coord, 51.6462, -3.3303, display=title, type:landmark Chapels in Rhondda Cynon Taf Churches completed in 1893 Buildings and structures demolished in 1993 1893 establishments in Wales 1993 disestablishments in Wales