- Nprn: 11037
- Cadw Ref: (WO)8/341
- Cadw Record No: 22762
- Summary: Bethesda Baptist Chapel was built in 1789 and enlarged in 1816. The chapel was destroyed by gas explosion and subsequently rebuilt in 1842. The present chapel was built in 1878, to the design of architect George Morgan of Carmarthen, in the Italian Romanesque style of the gable-entry type. The chapel is constructed of local and bath stone, with a Caernarfon slate roof and large rose window. Bethesda is now Grade 2* Listed as a major work of George Morgan.
RCAHMW, October 2010 - Description: The chapel was built in 1788-9; it was modified, altered or rebuilt in 1816, destroyed by gas explosion & rebuilt in 1842, and rebuilt to George Morgan's design, as the present chapel, in 1880 (cost £2199). Built in the Romanesque style, gable entry type. Status (2000): chapel
Victorian dressed stone and coursed rubble front render elsewhere. Highly detailed, large rose window. Slate roof. Welsh Romanesque in local and Bath stone. Also schoolroom and vestry, forecourt walls, railings, gates, piers. 1993 PCNPA.
_______________________________
.......(Anthony Jones)
"The Nonconformist Cathedral of West Wales". The second oldest English Baptist cause in South Pembs. There were probably English Baptists residing in the town and the neighbourhood as far back as 1669, 100 years before the church was constituted. Between 1729 and 1731 the first Baptist chapel in Pembrokeshire was established at Molleston. Services at Haverfordwest were ministered from Molleston, Rhydwilym, and Llangloffan chapels. Bethesda was founded by Rev. Benjamin Davies (simultaneous minister at Molleston) who by 1789 had a 60 member congregation at Haverfordwest. 1789 the first chapel built on the site of the present building. Five cottages were bought and the site cost œ200, clearing and erecting another œ308.30. The services were in English. Davies left Molleston to attend to the Haverfordwest chapel solely, and died in 1816 when membership was 200. Due to the increase in membership the chapel was enlarged in 1816. Foundation stone laid July 1st. Named Bethesda. This building lasted to 1842 when it was destroyed by a gas explosion. Quickly rebuilt and reopened in the same year. The Baptist College was founded in Haverfordwest 1837, remained to 1894 when it removed to Aberystwyth. The Principal of the College was also the minister of Bethesda (Rev. Thomas Davies, who was earlier at the High Street Baptist Chapel in Merthyr Tydfil, later to be reworked by George Morgan, who in turn was to build the new Bethesda here).
In 1878 a splendid ceremony was held for the celebration of the laying of foundation stones for the new Bethesda. These stones were dated 1789, 1816, 1842, and 1878 thus memorialising the historic dates of the chapel."
-(Baptist Historical Sketches" R.C. Roberts 1907)
Local Newspaper Account:-
"The style of the new edifice is Byzantine and it will be very handsome and commodious. The plans have been prepared by Mr Morgan of Carmarthen and Messrs Morgan and Thomas of Haverfordwest are the contractors. The chapel measures between the walls 63'x45'. The front is of native stone, hammer dressed and relieved by Bathstone dressings. The sides and the back will be cemented. The roofs over the main buildings and wings are covered with Caernarfon slates. There are galleries on three sides. The rostrum will be in an apse and the baptistry will be on a platform in front of the rostrum. The whole interior fittings to be of pitch pine slightly stained and varnished. The ceiling above the cove is covered all around the building with the principal timbers in sight. The walls are finished in stucco. The windows are to be glazed in Cathedral glass in lead quarries. The building will be heated by warm air, the apparatus for which will be placed in the chamber below the north vestry. The chapel will seat 900, at a cost of œ2199, including the south vestry. On the space on the north side of the building it is intended to erect a vestry and schoolroom, but they are not in the present contract."
Original heating removed. About œ1200 spent on repairs since 1972, chapel in quite good condition.
Very eclectric façade typical of Goerge Morgan in this period. It duplicates his Frogmore Street chapel at Abergavenny, and also his Dinas Noddfa at Landore, Swansea. Cruciform plan. Double porches with Romanesque features, Pisan arcading, crow-stepping, finials, inverted orders, coloured stonework and a rose window. Very nice fancy ironwork on the roof complimentwed by same on courtyard fence. Exceptionally nice inereior with good detailing. A rather churchy apse at the end with narrow Romanesque windows and a strange throne-like affair directly behind the preachers chair. Coloured glass. Note the pigeon holes high in the façade - do they function?
Noted: "Chapel Architecture" (and photo) Anthony Jones. "Southwest Wales" (Shell Guide) Vyvyan Rees.
...........(Anthony Jones)
___________________________________
"The Nonconformist Cathedral of West Wales" (Anthony Jones). The church (chapel) was formed in 1740 (G D James). A chapel was built in 1788 (1851 R. Census) or 1789 (G D James, Anthony Jones), on the present site; it was enlarged in 1816 (G D James; Anthony Jones), destroyed by gas explosion & rebuilt in 1842, and rebuilt to George Morgan's design, as the present church, in 1878 (Tony Parkinson, Anthony Jones) or 1880 (G D James). Status (2000): in Baptist use. - Built: 1788 Source:Religious Census
- Built: 1789 Source:James, G D
- Built: 1878 Source:Anthony Jones
- Built: 1789 Source:Anthony Jones
- Formed: 1740 Source:James, G D
- Destroyed: 1842 Source:Anthony Jones
- Rebuilt: 1878 Source:Parkinson, A.J.
- Enlarged: 1816 Source:James, G D
- Rebuilt: 1880 Source:James, G D
- Enlarged: 1816 Source:Anthony Jones
- Rebuilt: 1842 Source:Anthony Jones
- Rebuilt - Stone Carving: 1878 Source:BOW
- Rebuilt - Stained Glass: 1878 Source:BOW
- Schoolrooms - Railings: 1878 Source:BOW
- : 1878 Source:Photo
- Architect: 1878 George Morgan, Carmarthen
- Architect: 1878 George Morgan, Carmarthen
- Mason: 1878 E. Powell, Abergavenny
- £ 5500: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- £ 308: 1789 Clearing+building cottage (Anthony Jones)
- £ 2199: 1878 (Parkinson, A.J.)
- £ 2199: 1878 (Anthony Jones)
- £ 200: 1789 5 Cottages + land (Anthony Jones)
- 300: 1888 (Map)
- 960: 1905 Sittings (RCCEORBWM)
- 310: 1851 (Religious Census)
- 440: 1851 (Religious Census)
- 200: 1905 Accomodation (RCCEORBWM)
- Chapel: 10/2000 (Site visit - Vic Soc)
- Chapel: 2010 (R Scourfield)
- English: 1998 (Llawlyfr)
- Materials
- Monument Type: CHAPEL
- Form: Building
- Style: Romanesque
- Plan: Gable Entry
Key Details of this Chapel
Key Dates of this Chapel
Key People in this Chapel History
Costs during this Chapels History
Capacities during this Chapels History
Changes of Status its History
The Languages of the Chapel during its History
Key Characteristics of this Chapel
Images from Coflein
Map
- Grid Reference: SM95121567
- Address: BARN STREET/CITY ROAD, HAVERFORDWESTHAVERFORDWEST
2 thoughts on “BETHESDA ENGLISH BAPTIST CHURCH (PARTICULAR), BARN ST./CITY RD., HAVERFORDWEST (PARTICULAR BAPTIST)”
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Hello
My great great grandparents were married in Kinnerton Chapel in Old Radnor on 21st May1850. I have been searching for information on the Chapel, so was pleased to find this website. I have now located it on Google Street View – looks like someone is ‘doing it up’ to live in: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2612635,-3.1095337,3a,90y,232.95h,84.26t/data=!3m9!1e1!3m7!1s-8DWPORkq2RFVNXBLde_-g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!9m2!1b1!2i53?hl=en-GB
The marriage record of my ancestors Abraham Bounds and Elizabeth Williams is attached. I hope it is of interest.
All the best
Saira
Dear Sara
Thank you for the information. I am glad to hear that it was some help to you.
Good luck on your continued search
Christine