Some Chapels in Maesteg
Today's post is a series of pictures of nonconformist chapels from the town of Maesteg, Bridgend County. This is a small valley town, yet these are not all the Churches in Maesteg (there are also two Anglican Churches and a Roman Catholic Church, plus other chapels).
First up is Zion English Baptist Chapel, built in 1884, a very simple stone building with no real decoration on the facade.
This is Central Church, Maesteg, occupied by Baptists, Methodists and URC. It was built in 1847 as Bethel English Baptist Church, and enlarged in 1859. It was renovated in 1947.
Peniel Evangelical Church, Maesteg, has 'Tabernacle' written on the building. An old-fashioned Welsh Baptist Chapel, with the date 1856 on the facade. I have met the pastor of this church, and he seems a good sort.
Maesteg seems to have been a centre of the Welsh Independents. This is Carmel Chapel, one of the few Welsh Independent Chapels in Maesteg still open. It has a rather nice early 20th century facade.
And this is Canaan Independent Chapel, built in 1903. The architecture is still pretty typical.
Tabor Calvinistic Methodist Church has closed and been converted into flats. It was built in 1907, no doubt in part to contain the converts from the Welsh Revival. In the latest style as well.
This is the Victorian Zoar Independent Chapel, now owned by a funeral director. Zoar means 'small', but this chapel is anything but!
This was Bethlehem Calvinstic Methodist Chapel. The Calvinistic Methodists were effectively the alternative Establishment in Wales, yet not one CM Chapel remains open in Masteg! 
And finally we have the gem of Maesteg, Bethania Independent Chapel, designed by local architect William Beddoe Rees and built in 1908. The last hurrah of the Nonconformists, the building seems today to be far too big.
First up is Zion English Baptist Chapel, built in 1884, a very simple stone building with no real decoration on the facade.
This is Central Church, Maesteg, occupied by Baptists, Methodists and URC. It was built in 1847 as Bethel English Baptist Church, and enlarged in 1859. It was renovated in 1947.
Peniel Evangelical Church, Maesteg, has 'Tabernacle' written on the building. An old-fashioned Welsh Baptist Chapel, with the date 1856 on the facade. I have met the pastor of this church, and he seems a good sort.
Maesteg seems to have been a centre of the Welsh Independents. This is Carmel Chapel, one of the few Welsh Independent Chapels in Maesteg still open. It has a rather nice early 20th century facade.
And this is Canaan Independent Chapel, built in 1903. The architecture is still pretty typical.
Tabor Calvinistic Methodist Church has closed and been converted into flats. It was built in 1907, no doubt in part to contain the converts from the Welsh Revival. In the latest style as well.
This is the Victorian Zoar Independent Chapel, now owned by a funeral director. Zoar means 'small', but this chapel is anything but!
This was Bethlehem Calvinstic Methodist Chapel. The Calvinistic Methodists were effectively the alternative Establishment in Wales, yet not one CM Chapel remains open in Masteg! 
And finally we have the gem of Maesteg, Bethania Independent Chapel, designed by local architect William Beddoe Rees and built in 1908. The last hurrah of the Nonconformists, the building seems today to be far too big.These chapels are the results of revival. They are mostly closed now, and only revival can re-open them and fill them.
posted by Highland Host at 11:07 pm
5 Comments:
Hi Gervase very good pictures of the welsh Chapels.And it is sad that so many of them have closed were the gospel was preached many years ago.Read your prayer request in Foucs prayer from your home church.Do email me when you get time as i have sent five emails.So keep up the good work and have a nice Lord's day tomorrow.
Dear Gervase i read what the Puritan said to you about the AV Bible. So you put him right and tell him that you preach from it and use it for your sermons.Not long till i arrive in south wales for the Abba on the 8th August Sat Confrence and will be in flat with some of Fox Family onsite.So will text you when you can meet somewere in tabor.So do email me.
Lovely buildings but they are all closing (thankfully) because people in Maesteg and the rest of the country have woken up to reality, there is no magic man in the sky ,
either the Christian one that impregnated a Palestinian virgin or the Muslim one where Mohammed flew to heaven on a winged horse. The Muslims believe all Christians will go to hell , the Christians believe all Muslims will go to hell, etc etc just change the names to suit - hindu, budhist etc etc etc , there is only one truth and I would rather trust intelligent scientists than some scribblings of some ancient sand people who thought the world was flat and the sun revolved round the earth. Apart from a very small percentage (born agains Christians mainly) every religious person just takes on the religion of where they were born and what was handed down from their parents, THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT TRUE !!! If there are any Christians viewing this who were born in Afghanistan and "chose" Christianity or anyone born in Italy or Ireland who "chose" to be muslim in stead of Catholic then i will eat my words .I Bet you are all atheists about former popular Gods like Thor , Zeus , Jupiter - some of us just go one god further. peace & love
Bethania is a Welsh Baptist (not Independent)chapel. It is now in the care of Addoldai Cymru- the Welsh Religious Buildings Trust
To the Anonymous comment;
I'm a member of Peniel Church (the third one here) and we're going strong and full of born again believers; so are some of the others - Our God is still with us and very much alive. I wasn't born a Christian, my family are atheists mostly - I became one.
Why not come along sometime and here both sides before making your mind up, you might be surprised :)
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