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Description
Name: Wern
Denomination: Welsh Independent
Built: 1864
Photography: John Ball
Date: 30 April 2001
Camera: Sigma SA-300 35 mm SLR
Note 1: Back in the 1860s it was felt that a chapel should be built in the centre of the district and services for this purpose were held at the home of Thomas Walton, grocer, Wern. Two deacons from Pant-teg, Mr John Dafydd Evans and Mr James Clee were appointed to assist the Wern people to achieve their object. Lewis Jones, the mason on the contract, became one of the first deacons, and William Rees was the first secretary of the church. Although the first service was held in the vestry on the Friday evening of 12th September 1864 the Chapel was, according to records, officially opened on Sunday 14th September 1864. Seventy five members formed the church in 1864 and it was built at a cost of £1,173. On 5th June 1866, Mr Owen Jones was ordained as the first minister when the membership had increased to 104. In July 1870, the Rev Owen Jones had left and two years later the Rev J H Jones took up the ministry continuing until 1877, when the membership had again increased to 148. Mr H P Jenkins was ordained on 14th April 1880 and he ministered there for five years. [Adapted from the Ystalyfera History website where further details are available]
Note 2: Wern Independent Chapel was built in 1864 in the Sub-Classical style of the gable-entry type, by architect Thomas Griffiths of Ystalyfera. Wern is now Grade 2 Listed as an exceptional chapel retaining the original interior and elaborate detail. [Source: Coflein online database of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (accessed 22 September 2015)]
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