Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Hen Dy Cwrdd Chapel
Aberdare West, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Religious, Ritual and Funerary
- Date of designation
- 10 January 1991
- Welsh name
- Capel Hen Dy Cwrddd
- Locality
- Trecynon
- Town
- Aberdare
- Community
- Aberdare West
- Unitary authority
- Rhondda Cynon Taff
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.72127, -3.45588
- Cadw reference
- 10876
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Set back from the road at the junction with Mount Pleasant Street. Walled burial ground to the front.
History
This is one of the oldest sites of non-conformity in the valleys and was probably the first place in Wales to preach and adopt the Priestley type of Unitarianism. The meeting house was founded in l751 and was originally known as Ty Cwrdd Godre Hirwaun. In l862 the cottage-like meeting house with its outside stone stairs was rebuilt by Mr Evan Griffiths, architect of Aberdare, to create the present structure. Hen-dy-Cwrdd also founded and ran the Trecynon seminary once famous for its education. The chapel itself had several distinguished ministers.
Exterior
Symmetrical cement rendered gabled front, channelled below gallery windows. Slate roof, ridge cresting boarded eaves and undulating bargeboards with finial. Round attic window; sash glazing below; stringcourse over gallery windows, arched up over semi-circular headed paired central windows with dividing pilaster; flanked by 2 windows to each side, the outer sashes of which are broader; overall sill band, again stepped up to centre. Round arched doorway with broad voussoirs and keystone below inscribed plaque; steps up to panelled double doors and 7-pane fanlight. 6-pane sash windows to either side.
Side elevations have round arched headed gallery windows. Lower cottage attached to left and square headed ground floor windows to right.
Interior
Square interior with gallery around 3 sides. Simple cornice, central rose and octagonal ventilation panels. Unusually deep gallery front with extensively moulded and stained woodwork including central pulvinated band; ramped band beneath with acanthus leaves over the cast iron columns. Semi-circular arched recess with label behind set fawr; steps up to either side with acorn finials to balustrade.
Monument in lobby to Thomas Evans (Minister - 1811-l833) and on gallery stairs one to Edmund Llewellyn (died l829).
Reason for designation
Group value with Nos 37 and 37A.
Nearby in the register
- 37 & 37a Alma StreetDomesticunder 1 mi
- Capel EbenezerReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Heol Y Felin (Capel Y Bedyddwyr)Religious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Hall attached to Capel Y BedyddwyrReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.