Carrying on with the requested look at Merthyr’s lost chapels, here is the second batch – the lost chapels of Dowlais.
Bryn Sion Welsh Independent Chapel
Brynsion Street, Dowlais
Built 1834. Rebuilt 1844. Demolished 1969
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Caersalem Welsh Baptist Chapel
Well Street, Dowlais
Built 1821. Rebuilt 1833. Demolished 1977
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Calfaria Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel
High Street, Caeharris
Built 1879. Closed 1979
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Chapel
Wind Street, Dowlais
Built 1846. Burnt down 1927
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Elizabeth Street Presbyterian Chapel
Elizabeth Street, Dowlais
Built 1876. Demolished 1965/6
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Gwernllwyn Welsh Independent Chapel
Mary Street, Dowlais
Built 1850. Rebuilt 1874. Demolished 1965
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Hermon Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel
Castle Street, Dowlais
Built 1827. Rebuilt 1841. Demolished 1960s
Libanus Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel
Libanus Street, Dowlais
Built 1852. Rebuilt 1858, 1870. Demolished 1996
Moriah Welsh Baptist Chapel
Mount Pleasant Street, Dowlais
Built 1856. Demolished 1992
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Penywern Welsh Independent Chapel
Jones Street, Peneywern
Built 1857. Rebuilt 1877. Demolished ?
Shiloh Welsh Wesleyan Chapel
Castle Street, Dowlais
Built 1811. Rebuilt 1853. Demolished 1920s
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Tabernacle (Elim) English Baptist (Pentecostal) Chapel
Ivor Street, Dowlais
Built 1873. Rebuilt 1876. Demolished 1974
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Unitarian Chapel (later Salvation Army)
White Street, Dowlais
Built 1881. Demolished ?
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
Wesleyan Chapel
Castle Street, Dowlais
Built 1843. Rebuilt 1850, 1832. Demolished 1967
Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive
If anyone has photographs of any other chapels that are no longer with us, and there are a few I can’t find photos of, or if anyone can fill in any details, please get in touch.
In the early part of the 19th Century, members of the Independent chapels in Merthyr who were living in Dowlais began holding meetings at various houses around the town.
When Josiah John Guest arrived in Dowlais and expanded the Dowlais Works, the population increased to an extent that the need arose for the Independent worshippers in Dowlais to have their own chapel. The old Bethel Chapel became vacant in 1822 so services could be held there on Sunday evenings. Rev Methusalem Jones of Bethesda Chapel in Merthyr was instrumental in starting the cause in Dowlais and he had oversight of the congregation for a time until he had a difference of opinion with some of the congregation and left them. Rev Samuel Evans of Zoar Chapel then took over the care of the congregation.
Within a year however, it was realised that the small Bethel Chapel was not adequate for the congregation, so land was found and a chapel was built in 1823 for the cost of £444 and called Bethania.
In 1826 Rev Thomas Jones, a student from Newtown, was invited to Bethania and was ordained as minister of the chapel on 23 March 1826. The congregation increased rapidly and the chapel was rebuilt in 1827. However, within a short time a serious disagreement occurred at the chapel which resulted in Rev Jones and several of the congregation leaving and starting their own cause; this eventually became Bryn Sion Chapel. Rev Samuel Evans once again took charge of the chapel and stayed here until his death.
Following Rev Samuel Evans’ death, Rev John Hughes was inducted as Bethania’s minister in December 1833. Under his leadership the congregation grew rapidly and in 1838 it was decided to build a new larger chapel and the chapel was rebuilt at a cost of £1000 by Mr Thomas Sandbrook, a member of the chapel.
The re-built Bethania Chapel
In 1849, a serious cholera epidemic broke out in Merthyr with 1,682 deaths in Merthyr and Dowlais alone. In the aftermath of this epidemic, a religious revival occurred and despite its huge size, Bethania Chapel could not accommodate the huge increase in the congregation. It was decided that it would be impractical to build an even larger chapel, so a new chapel was built nearby called Gwernllwyn.
In 1855 a schoolroom was built at Pwll-yr-hwyaid, and this was followed by schoolrooms at Gellifaelog and Caeharris.
Bethania Chapel Caeharris Schoolroom. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive.
In 1883 the interior of the chapel was renovated with a new pulpit and seating costing £1350; and a new organ installed costing £350. In 1886, the vestry was constructed behind the chapel. Major renovations were again carried out on the chapel in 1896 when the main entrance of the chapel was altered and a large porch built, and the chapel was we see it today took shape. These renovations cost £500.
The chapel closed in 1999, but in 2012 the building was renovated by the Victory Church who now hold their services there.
Prior to the 1960s and the arrival of the mass-produced, affordable motor car, district nurses visited their patients on foot or by bus. These hard- working ladies often walked miles in extremely bad weather,- rain, hail, snow and gale force winds.
One such lady was Nurse Frances Evans of Muriel Terrace, Caeharris, Dowlais. The mother of two children – David and Dwynwen; she had, sadly, lost an eight year old son, Elwyn to diphtheria in 1938, a child-killing disease of the time.
For several years during the 1950s her once-a-week journey was sometimes unusual to say the least.
Normally, she travelled every Tuesday on the 1.15PM train from Caeharris Railway Station (located behind the Antelope Hotel on upper Dowlais High Street) to the isolated, windswept former coal-mining community of Cwmbargoed some 4 miles away, the home of her elderly patient, former miner, Mr Horace Morgan. He was a surgical case who needed skilled attention every week. Back in those days the isolated village of Cwmbargoed was situated on the main line from Dowlais to Bedlinog.
THE COLLIERS’ TRAIN
Nurse Evans always referred to this train as ‘The Colliers’ Train’, recalling vivid memories of her younger days when hundreds of colliers disembarked every afternoon at Caeharris Station from ‘The Cwbs’, (these were old, basic carriages with wooden benches for seats). These colliers were returning to their homes having completed their early morning shifts in the pits at Cwmbargoed, Fochriw and Bedlinog etc. With so many pit closures between the wars however, far fewer colliers by the 1950s were travelling on this route.
Meanwhile after puchasing a ticket at the ticket office (priced 6d each way), Nurse Evans would begin her journey to Cwmbargoed. But with other patients to visit, she would sometimes miss the 1.15pm train, the next train leaving some three hours later. On these occasions she would be given a lift by other means. But no ordinary train this. It consisted of a single steam-driven locomotive and a guard’s van. She would be offered the only seat and would sit uncomfortably, behind the kindly driver and his sweating, grime-faced, coal-shovelling fireman.
Dowlais colliers returning home c. 1930 by Dewi Bowen
JOURNEY’S END
On arrival at Cwmbargoed Nurse Evans would have a ten minute walk to the home of old Mr Morgan. On one occasion she fell into a snow drift and was rescued by a passing workman who heard her cries for help.
All district nurses had large areas to cover and they walked miles every day. In some parts of the country, some may well have adopted the means of transport favoured by a nurse in the modern, 1950s-based television series ‘Call The Midwife’, by making use of a bicycle. However, there is no evidence of local nurses relying on this method of transport.
Needless to say Nurse Evans, who retired in 1962 enjoyed her occasionally unusual journey inside a hot and noisy steam locomotive, across the lonely, windswept moorland above the town of Merthyr Tydfil.
Older folk may recall Nurse Evans, a kind and gentle lady, who was held in great affection by her patients during the 1950s and early 60s.
(This story was taken from an article in the Merthyr Express on 8 March 1958. Meanwhile, I thank Sian Anthony, Dowlais Library Service, Terry Jones, John Richards and the family of the late Dewi Bowen for their valuable assistance).
We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.
Still further on yet, and on the left, were other cottages and a public house called ‘The Ship in Distress’. These cottages and ‘The Ship in Distress’ have long since ceased to be tenantable, but about which I will tell something.
Mr David Morris, the grandfather of the late Mr Thomas Jenkins of Pant, kept the public house, and owing to his not voting in accordance with the wish of his landlord at an election, had notice to quit. Mr Morris then built the ‘Mountain Hare’ and removed there. So much for political pique, but another hardship soon after arose. Upon the cottages etc. becoming untenantable, the owner (who had become so by the marriage of a widow) was John Jenkins, keeping the ‘Cross Keys’ near the lock-up. He applied unsuccessfully, both to the Dowlais and Penydarren Companies, for compensation. All he got was the part of shuttlecock, the battledores being the companies. In vain did he endeavour to invoke the aid of any solicitor to take up his case until a person (long dead), who shall be nameless, rendered assistance to him. Amongst the excuses urged by the companies was a direct negative that either had worked beneath the property, so that it became necessary to sink a pit upon that small plot and show the minerals had been abstracted. Upon so doing he was able to obtain compensation.
This, or about there for certain, was called Pwllywhead (sic) (Duck’s Pool). Beyond this there were a few cottages, which the inexorable demand for tip room has obliterated. The residence of the old mineral agent of the Dowlais Works, Mr William Kirkhouse, was on the way, and the road ran out to join that from Merthyr to Rhymney Bridge via Dowlais, above or about Cae Harris.
All this is vividly recalled by the sudden death of the late Chairman of the Board of Guardians. Mrs Jenkins, mother of the deceased gentleman, was the eldest daughter of David Morris of ‘The Ship in Distress’. There was also a son who was in the fitting shop at the Dowlais Works, and a younger sister, who married and went to reside somewhere. Do not for a moment conclude that in the turnpike gate times this road was always quite open and free to travel. Ever and anon – particularly on Wain (sic) Fair days – there was a chain stretched across and a collector stationed who required payment before removal of the obstruction.
No doubt many of your readers have heard of a horse and rider going over the bridge and into the gorge at Pontsarn. Let me assure them that it arose from the anxiety to save the payment of toll, and in due time it shall be made clear, for I had the words of the person some few years ago.
