Park Church, Murray Street, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire

Description

Name: Park Church

Denomination: Congregational

Built: 1865

Photography: John Ball
Date: 29 March 2012
Camera: Nikon D50 digital SLR

Note 1: A very Anglican style of building for the pushy bouregois types who fancied an English-speaking chapel for the well-to-do. [It is] in a very sad state. The stained glass windows are treasures. The octagonal school room [shown near bottom of page] was one of the best facilities in town and used by countless societies. [Extracted from personal email correspondence with Huw Edwards, dated 26 September 2011]

Note 2: The original Park Church was established in 1839 by the great David Rees of Capel Als to provide English-language services for the town's Nonconformist worshippers. The congregation moved in 1865 to the magnificent building on the corner of Murray Street and Inkerman Street. Over the years, its distinguished pastors included Elvet Lewis ('Elfed'), the famous poet and hymn writer, and Iona Williams, the radical socialist preacher. It goes without saying that the church made a significant contribution to national culture and represented a prime element in the story of Llanelli. [Source: Huw Edwards, quoted in Llanelli Star; posted 19 August 2015 (accessed 7 Feb 2016)]

Image 3:

Octagonal school-room.

Note 3: Park Church was destroyed by fire in August 2015. A report in the South Wales Evening Post stated: Llanelli's Park Church, which has been destroyed by a raging fire this evening, was one of the town's grandest and most imposing buildings. The grade two listed building has stood empty for many years, and has been left to ruin for more than a decade since the last Sunday service took place. The church boasted the town's oldest spire, which is currently being threatened by flames reaching hundreds of feet into the air. The gothic-style listed building was an imposing landmark within the town and lies between a mix of retail, office and residential uses. The 1860s structure and attached Sunday School have been devastated by a blaze which broke out at around 7pm. [Source: South Wales Evening Post (accessed 7 Feb 2016)]

• http://www.jlb2011.co.uk/walespic/churches/llanelli2.htm (link opens in new window)