Bethania(1866)

Welsh Calvinistic Methodist, Church Street, Tonypandy

Built: 1875 , Extended or Rebuilt: 1908 [Sittings: 900]

Bethania was a 'Daughter' of Ebenezer, Dinas. It is addressed as 'Llwynypia' since initial meetings both in a private house and later in the 'long room' of the Ivor Hael, Hotel were located there. Yet both of its chapels were located in present-day Tonypandy.

  Image by permission of Rhondda Cynon Taf Libraries - Reference: 4136

The first chapel was located to the left, in the direction of Clydach Vale, where Tonypandy Bus Station stands today. You can view a photograph of this building on the 'Extra Content' sub-menu and read that it subsequently became a billiard hall.
    It was during its time at this location that the dispute arose which resulted in the formation of Hermon. Full details can be read there.
    Bethania was, in turn, 'Mother' to Libanus, Blaenclydach and Penuel, Llynypia thus, in a way, returning to its roots.
    Probably influenced by The Revival we a the familiar story of the church deciding on larger premises. It is stated that the new chapel cost over ₤6,500 and the debt so incurred was not fully paid off until the 1940s.
    The new chapel did not appear to have new members since that peaked a few years prior. Despite a 'spike' in the in the figures in 1920 it was downhill from there with a quoted 40 in 1978/79.
    Although the chapel appeared to be holding services when I visited the location in 2009 that was not the case as it disappears from denominational reecords c2008 or even before. The chapel still stands yet appears to be in a sorry state with, unless my eyes deceived me, a large hole in its roof and simply left to its ultimate fate.

Document Source - MGCS 54/47.