Built: 1870
Style: Gothic
Architect: William Henry Spall of Oswestry (1870), Gilbert Thomas Bassett (1898)
Cost: £3,000
History: By 1869 the English Wesleyan chapel in Lewis Terrace had become too small due to increasing numbers of the congregation and the English population in the town, which increased throughout the summer seasons. The site for the new chapel was on the junction of Newfoundland Street, which is now Bath Street and Queen’s Road, this was a central location in an expanding part of town.
However, it was built on marshy ground which was liable to flooding , therefore the fabric of the church slowly deteriorated so that after 120 years the utilisation of the premises where no longer fit for purpose and was demolished after its closure in June 1989. In combination with St Paul's Welsh congegation a new bilingual Methodist Centre was erected on the site and opened in September 1992,
The architecture of this new chapel portrayed its English congregation through the typical Gothic style, complete with a tower on the corner, topped by a slender spire.The chapel opened on 18 June 1870, and in 1898 there were modifications of a new entrance and a gallery.
It was demolished in 1989 and replaced by the present St Paul’s Methodist Centre, which opened in September 1992 and is a modern, single storey brick structure, with a corner façade onto Queen Street.
Sources: CeredigionFaithTrail
Built: 1895
Style: Gothic
Architect: Thomas Morgan of Aberystwyth and the builder David Lloyd
Cost: £2910
History: In 1893 there was a disagreement amongst the congregation of the Seilo chapel, Queen Street, therefore a number of its members left to form a breakaway group. At first this newly formed congregation met in the assembly rooms.
In 1895 the chapel was opened with a seating capacity for 450, and in 1898 a schoolroom for 180 students was added to the left and the rear of the chapel. In order to emphasis the congregations break, this chapel was designed in the Gothic style which, at the time was odd for a Welsh language Calvinist Methodist congregation, in contrast to the Seilo chapel which was created with the baroque style.
In 1905 transepts were added to the exterior of the chapel and a new organ was inserted.
Source: Dyfedhd.org
Built: 1869
Style: Gothic
Architect: J. Morgan of Aberystwyth (builder)
History: In 1859, the cause was established for the Siloam congregation to separate from the growing Salem Welsh Wesleyans, in 1861 a school was established and the chapel was built in 1869 by J. Morgan of Aberystwyth. In 1905 the chapel has been recorded for having the capacity for 250 persons.
By 1996 the chapel had been converted for use as a garage, warehouse and retail, therefore little remains of its interior, however it appears that little has changed on the exterior of the former chapel.
Source: CeredigionFaithTrail
Built: 1876
Style: Italianate Classical
Architect: Richard Owen of Liverpool (1876)
Cost: £4,000
History: Originally the congregation met in the Independent chapel on Vulcan Street (Penmaes-glas chapel) as the congregation grew the chapel became too small. Also, the centre of the town had moved from the old medieval borough; north and northwest, and chapel building had become popular with architectural influences included in the designs of a chapel. Therefore, the congregation altered with the changing times and in 1875 purchased a block of four houses on Baker Street, which were due to be demolished for the site of a new chapel.
This was Aberystwyth's fifth nineteenth century independent chapel, and Richard Owen of Liverpool was appointed the architect for the chapel, this was his third commission for a chapel in Aberystwyth.
It was built to seat 740 members of the congregation, and contained a schoolroom located in the basement with its own side entrance.The chapel was opened on 1st May 1876 and the Cambrian News described the interior of the chapel as "the most handsome in the town".
Even though the architecture is in the Italianate style, the window tracery is of a Venetian style (ca.1500).
The Sedd Fawr is almost identical to that of Salem in Caernarfon, which was also designed by Owen, and the organ was installed in 1909 by Norman and Beard. The chapel is still in use today.
Sources: Dyfed Family History Society
Built: 1797
Style: Italianate Classical
Architect: John Humphreys (1797, builder), Thomas Edward Morgan of Aberystwyth and Reverend William Jones (1888)
Cost: £5000 (1889)
History: The congregation was first formed in 1787 holding their meetings in a house in Queen Street.
In 1797, the Aberystwyth court leat allowed the Baptists to build their first chapel in Baker Street (where the chapel is situated today), it was the first Baptist chapel to be allowed outside of the town walls at the time. The site in which the Baptist's were granted was described as "a certain part of waste ground on the way to the N. Turnpike Gate". John Humphreys was appointed by Cadwalader Jones as the carpenter given the task to erect and finish a meeting-house for the Baptists, the dimensions of the meeting-house was to be 50 feet long, 26 feet high with a yard situated at the front of 35 yards long.
As the congregation grew the chapel became too small and two galleries were added.
It was rebuilt in 1832-33, with a long-wall plan and central windows with outer doors, this rebuild gave some attempt at having an architectural design, which including pilasters and round-headed windows and doorways. By the 1880s it was the only surviving long-walled chapel in Aberystwyth town, however, the Cambrian News described it as "a thing of beauty to the townsfolk when erected in 1833, but of recent years it was an eyesore to all who had any taste and an exception to the restored places of worship in the town." Money was raised for a new chapel and a number of architects were invited for designing the chapel.
A design was selected from Thomas Morgan of Aberystwyth, who was a member of the Bethel chapel, with this new design the chapel was turned 90 degrees so that the entrance to the chapel faced Baker Street, it was opened in October 1889 at the cost of just over £5000 (the debt was finally cleared in 1909). There were two houses which adjoined the chapel on Upper Portland Street; one was for the caretaker which enabled him to enter from the rear of the chapel and the other was the schoolroom. These houses were demolished in 1970 and replaced by three flats.
The organ was added with the new design in 1889 by Messrs Powell and Son of Abergavenny.
Source: CeredigionFaithTrail, Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
Built: 1844
Style: Simple Rounded Headed style
Architect: J. Lumley of Aberystwyth (and builder in 1863), John Pollard Seddon (1868)
History: This chapel was the first English Nonconformist chapel built in Aberystwyth, with only ten members to begin with. The popularity of the English speaking chapel grew to 76 members and 174 members in 1851, due to its growing numbers within the congregation an enlargement was required in 1863 and again in 1880.
The chapel closed in 1870 and was taken over by the Salvation Army in 1918, and is still in use by them today.
Source: whsinwales.org
Built: 1810
Style: Classical
Architect: John Hartland of Cardiff (1906)
History: It is thought that the building was originally built as a coach house and stable to No. 6 Laura Place due to the wall on the right side of the buidling (which faces Castle Street), are whitewashed rubble walls with arch's which are blocked. The building was then used as the Estate office for Nanteos (a nearby manor house) which then moved to No. 11 Laura Place. The building was acquired in 1853 by the Quakers to use it as their meeting house, this is when it was given its chapel front. It then became Galloways bookshop before it moved to Pier Street. On 1 October 1906 the chapel came into posession of the Unitarians, who refronted the chapel as we see it today. On 14th March 1976, the chapel closed and was converted into a museum but by 1998 it had fallen into disuse. In 2011 renovations on the building began for it to become a residental property.
This chapel has the claim to being the smallest Nonconformist chapel in Wales, and is known for being the place of worship for David Ivon Jones, who was a key figure in the South African civil rights movement and the African National Congress.
Sources: Unitarian Historical Society, Genuki
Built: 1823
Style: Sub-Classical
Architect: R. Owen of Liverpool, builder T. Jones
History: Originally, the congregation would meet in an open-air meeting on the green field upon which the chapel became built upon. The need for a chapel was realised in 1819 by Mr Azeriah Shadrach, who was the minister of the congregation.
The foundation stone was laid on August 1st, 1821, it was left unfinished for a year, however the roof was built before the winter. Towards the end of 1822 a gallery and a few seats around the pulpit was added, which cost £164. The chapel was officially opened on Sunday May 11th, 1823 with Dr Phillips of Neuaddlwyd preaching to a large congregation. The floor and seating under the gallery was added in 1830.
Mr Shadrach had travelled through England and Wales in order to collect money to pay for the debt of the chapel, by doing so he managed to avoid a heavy debt for the chapel. Mr Shadrach noted "That not one of the members had contributed a single shilling to the building of their beautiful chapel, and they never paid one penny in interest".
On August 16th, 1835 Mr Shadrach gave up his ministry due to deteriorating health and his age, in January 1836 Mr John Saunders was asked to succeed Mr Shadrach, so in June 1836 Mr Saunders left his ministry at Buckley, Flintshire and moved to Aberystwyth. Mr Shadrach continued to live and preach in the town, until his death on January 18th 1844, aged 70.
During Mr Saunders ministry the numbers of the congregation remained constant, however the congregation was weakened due to the English chapel opening. Mr Saunder's last sermon was in April 1871 and his death followed on 27th April 1871, due to an illness he was aged 75. Leaving the congregation without a minister for a year and a half, the church decided unanimously on November 3rd 1872 to call Mr Job Miles of Bethesda, Merthyr, who accepted the pastorate and began his ministry on January 12th 1873, with his induction being held on February 12th and 13th. The chapel looked very promising with 252 members and its financial status was encouraging. Therefore, there was a feeling that the congregation could be better if the chapel was larger.
It is the only chapel in Aberystwyth that retains its early form of a lateral-entry chapel.
In 1878 its congregation moved to the Seion Welsh Independent chapel on Baker Street therefore the building became used as the headquarters for the Welsh women's movement; Merched y Wawr.
Renovations: 1878
Sources: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales: Coflein, Ceredigion Faith Trail
Built: 1878 - 1880
Style: Classical
Architect: Walter Thomas of Liverpool
Cost: £5900 (it was first anticipated at a cost of £2250)
History: This chapel was built on the site of the Jolly Sailor's public house, and was built for the Welsh Wesleyans who were at first situated in Salem chapel, Queen Street, however they decided that they required a newer, larger, and grander chapel, due to the increasing numbers of the congregation.
The foundation stone was laid on Thursday 31 October 1878 at 1:30 by D. Davies
Renovations: A schoolroom was added in 1903, at a cost of £1400
The chapel closed in 1992, and throughout the construction of the chapel a glass bottle was discovered in 1999 behind one of its foundation stones.
Inside the bottle there were various items which related to the chapel's opening such as the poster (shown above), a list of chapel trustee's and the newspaper "Y Winllan" which was the monthly Wesleyan magazine, and was published in Welsh.
Nowadays, the chapel is a pub known as "The Academy" or "Yr Academi" and the schoolroom now houses the pool tables.
Sources: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Hisotrical Monuments of Wales: Coflein
![A glass bottle used as a 'time capsule' by the founders of the new Welsh Wesleyan Chapel, Aberystwyth, 1878 [image 1 of 2]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vRTFxCw3rhugs6GmDnclz2WDUl-PBBaGjzVULBURQP3Lk0a1Xx9U5AgEQtzd2VtiMqOJoVMsNjsDy-fPmH3rPyrifMiOnbDlSwY47EeNJh6g5vbJOniu3dtgR8t6H0ZFkH=s0-d)
