Nebo(1785)

Welsh Baptist, Ystrad Road, Ystrad

Built: 1786 , Extended or Rebuilt: 1857, 1876 [Sittings: 600]

Following the formation of the cause at Cymer, it took almost 50 years for the second. This time centrally withing the Parish of Ystradyfodwg at a place originally known as 'Heol Fach'. Here it was itinerant Baptist preachers such as Maurice Jones who formed a Baptist church of some 15 members.

  Image by permission of Rhondda Cynon Taf Libraries - Reference: 3545

The 'Ty Cwrdd' (Meeting House) was built by the members themselves at a cost of 60 pounds. No small price in those days. It was only subsequent to the building of the second chapel that the name 'Nebo' appears.
    Nebo was most instrumental in the formation of 'Daughter' causes withing the Rhondda at Penygraig (Soar), Treherbert (Libanus), Treorchy (Noddfa), Ton-Pentre (Hebron) plus an English cause at Pentre (Zion). Other than Soar and Libanus, these were championed by, possibly, its most revered pastor John 'Rufus' Williams whose ministry was tragically cut short in its prime.
    From 1965 there exists some timely footage in the BBC documentary 'The Long Street' of the interior of the chapel. Timely inasmuch that only three years later the chapel closed its doors for good.
    The MGCS photograph of 1978 shows the chapel still extant but vandalised (a typical fate of many abandoned buildings). It was subsequently demolished and all that stands today in its memory is part of its exterior wall and a plaque for the housing estate named after it.

Document Sources:-
MGCS 54/099
Trafodion 1993 pg 53
Ystradiana 1885 (after 'Rufus' - Seren Gomer 1865-66)