Radcliffe Hall Chapel (Penydarren)

Merthyr’s Chapels: Radcliffe Hall, Penydarren

The next chapel we are going to look at is Radcliffe Hall Forward Movement Methodist Chapel in Penydarren.

In 1901, members of Hermon and Libanus Chapels in Dowlais started meeting in Penydarren Boys School, and started a Sunday School in the long room of The New Inn, Penydarren.

By 1902 numbers had grown sufficiently for the congregation to build their own chapel. Three cottages were purchased at a cost of £550, and converted into a meeting place which they called Samaria.

On 28 December 1903 Rev E R Jones of Machynlleth was inducted as the new minister. With the advent of the new minister the congregation flourished and it became obvious that a new place of worship was needed. A new building designed by Messrs Habbershon & Faulkner of Cardiff was built by Mr Samuel Evans of Dowlais at a cost of £2,344.

At the stone laying ceremony on 15 December 1904, Mr W Henry Radcliffe the owner of an important shipping company in Cardiff, and a prominent member of the Forward Movement contributed £100 pounds to the building fund. Radcliffe was born in Dowlais and had lived for a time near the site of the new Chapel. In recognition of his generosity it was decided that the new chapel would be called Radcliffe Hall.

On 3 September 1908 the elders of the chapel decided that the cause should become an English cause, and as a result, on 25 October 1908 Rev E R Jones gave his last sermon and announced his resignation due to a combination of ill health and not being happy with the change to an English cause.

During the spring of 1913, the congregation at Radcliffe Hall faced a dispute with the owners of a new cinema which planned to be built next door to the chapel. A committee was set up to oppose the scheme, and every other chapel in Penydarren rallied to support Radcliffe Hall. Due to the public support for the chapel, the committee won their case and the cinema, The Cosy, was eventually built further along the High Street.

Radcliffe Hall closed in 1964 and the building was destroyed by fire in 1976.

Radcliffe Hall in flames in 1976. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Merthyr’s Chapels: Hermon Chapel, Dowlais

We continue our feature on the chapels of Merthyr with a look at one of the oldest and largest chapels in Dowlais – Hermon Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel.

In 1791, an elderly lady named Mary Taylor moved to Dowlais from Dinas Powis, but upon arrival in Dowlais she found that she was the only Methodist in the area. She was soon joined however by a Mr Thomas Davies, and they started worshipping together. Gradually, others joined them, and they began worshipping at Pontmorlais Chapel in Merthyr before they were given permission to meet in Dowlais on the premises of Mr Thomas Williams, a local shoemaker.

As the congregation grew, they decided, in 1806, to open a Sunday School, and in 1810 they formed themselves into an established cause. The worshippers continued to meet in private houses until they took out a lease on the small Bethel Chapel; the Baptist Cause that had started there having failed.

The congregation continued to grow and in 1827 they decided to build their own chapel on a plot of land acquired at the bottom end of Gwernllwyn Isaf Farm. This was the first chapel of any importance to be built in Dowlais.

In 1837, the freehold of the land on which the chapel was built was purchased from Mrs Mary Overton, and it soon became apparent that chapel was too small to accommodate the ever growing accommodation. A new chapel was designed by Rev Evan Harris, minister at Pontmorlais Chapel, and the very large new chapel was completed at a cost of £2,000 and opened in 1841.

It is interesting to note that Josiah John Guest, owner of the Dowlais Ironworks, and a staunch Anglican, contributed £50 to the rebuilding of the chapel. The reason he gave was that he was pleased to hear that none of the congregation had participated in the Chartist Riots.

Hermon Chapel was subsequently regarded as one of the most important Calvinistic Methodist Chapels in Wales and became the mother church of Libanus Chapel, Calfaria Chapel, Elizabeth Street Chapel and Radcliffe Hall, Penydarren, as well as being prominent in the founding of Nazareth, Fochriw; Ysgwydd Gwyn, Deri and Gosen, Bedlinog.

The magnificent Nicholson organ in Hermon Chapel

In 1901 a new school room was built adjoining the chapel at a cost of £1,000, and in 1904 major renovations were undertaken costing £3,000, including £600 for a magnificent pipe organ built by Messrs Nicholson and Lord of Walsall.

With the redevelopment of Dowlais, the chapel was forced to close and in 1962, became the first of Dowlais’ chapels to be demolished.

Merthyr: Then and Now

PENYDARREN HIGH STREET

For the latest in our series, we have three photographs showing somewhere that has altered beyond all recognition – Penydarren High Street.

At one time Penydarren High Street was lined by houses and shops; a chapel – Radcliffe Hall; a cinema – the Cosy, not to mention several pubs. Penydarren High Street was also the site of The Lucania where Eddie Thomas had his gym.

The first photograph shows the High Street in about 1910.

Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

The next photograph taken just slightly further up the High Street is from 1972.

In this photograph you can see that the houses are still standing, if a little more weather-worn than previously, and Radcliffe Hall Chapel is at the bottom of the photo on the left hand side.

The last photo is from 2012 – nothing remains. That’s progress for you!!!