Ainon(1880)

Welsh Baptist, South Street, Ynyshir

Built: 1884 , Extended or Rebuilt: 1886 [Sittings: 800]

Ainon was a 'Daughter' cause of Salem, Porth. In point of fact one of its early ministers, Rhys Bevan Jones, came to serve this church from Salem.

  Image by permission of Rhondda Cynon Taf Libraries - Reference: 5049

But I get ahead of myself. There is a most 'odd' statement in the MGCS article. that prior to the building of the chapel the congregation were meeting in the 'long room' of the Cardiff Arms Hotel. Now, maybe, there was such an establishment in Ynyshir but the author of the excellent book on Rhondda public houses, which appears quite comprehensive, did associate this building with the so named one in Treorchy and this arrangement would be totally impractical.
    Returning now to the Rev. Rhys Bevan Jones he was the minister of Ainon at the time of The Revival. He was a most active Revivalist working somewhat independently of the much better known Evan Roberts. The Rev. Jones never fully had the credit for his work in this field.
    One other minister deserves mention viz. Rev. Robert Rhydwenfro Williams who served the church during the Second World War. Known by his bardic name of 'Rhydwen' he was crowned at The National Eisteddfod.
    I rarely mention officers in these missives but I feel that an exception is warranted with Eben Phillips former secretary of this church. He was most helpful during my initial research and is better known as the author of the series of articles published in the historical journal about Welsh Baptist churches which these updates makes good use of.
    Ainon would appear to have closed around 2020. Its present 'fate' is unknown to me.

Source Document - MGCS 54/29.