Bethel Welsh Baptist chapel, Aberystwyth

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