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)
