Spring Newsletter 2014 Historic religious buildings in crisis

Chapel closure and redundancy is nothing new, but all indications are that it will be rapidly increasing during the next 10 years or so. This will include the closure and disposal of some of our most cherished high quality and highly listed buildings, as the demographic profile of those communities that are currently supporting these buildings is Yr Hen Gapel, Llwynrhydowen ageing. It is not a problem that is going to go away quietly and resolve itself. It needs strategic intervention. Yr Hen Gapel, Llwynrhydowen: significant project progress The Trust believes that a comprehensive review of the Yr Hen Gapel, Llwynrhydowen, This project will see an historically future of our historic religious the mother chapel of Welsh important and architecturally buildings should be undertaken Unitarianism, and in the ownership interesting building restored, by Cadw, working towards a of the Trust, is a significant grade along with the creation of a national strategy for . II* listed building with a colourful Unitarian Faith Trail linking it to history as the epicentre of a vibrant its local daughter chapels and This strategy would include rural Unitarian community. to other Unitarian chapels and identifying buildings at risk, their communities across Wales, guidance for the alteration and The Trust is very pleased to be including Capel Pen-rhiw (now re- conversion of buildings, and able to report that it has been erected in the St Fagans National what measures need to be successful in its bid for funding History Museum in Cardiff) and taken and resources provided from two of the main funding Hen Dŷ Cwrdd (Trecynon), another to ensure not only the survival sources for our forthcoming chapel in the care of this Trust. As of our religious built heritage, project at Yr Hen Gapel. Grant part of the project, the Trust will but that it has a sustainable and offers have been made by the also work in partnership with the successful future. Heritage Lottery Fund for an Our Royal Commission on the Ancient Heritage Grant and from Visit and Historical Monuments of Wales Wales for a Digital Tourism Grant. to develop an interactive and Llandysul Community council have accessible web-based resource Thank you for your support - it a made a generous grant towards - a “Virtual Museum”, telling the is appreciated! We welcome the project, and funding is also story of Nonconformity more local friends and supporters at expected from Ceredigion County generally, with the aim of widening all our various projects. Council and Cadw. participation and engagement with communities.

Addoldai Cymru, Capel Peniel, Tremadog, Porthmadog, LL49 9PS Tel: 01766 515590 | Email: [email protected] www.addoldaicymru.org | www.welshreligiousbuildings.org Registered Charity 1084030 / Company Limited by Guarantee 3870343 Major repairs at Libanus

The condition of Libanus chapel, the Trust’s II* chapel, built in 1841, at Waunclyndaf near Llansadwrn Carmarthenshire has been a continuing cause for concern. The Trust has taken a major step forward by undertaking significant and important repairs, concentrating on the roof. The total cost of work was £103,490.

The work was undertaken by David A Siggery Ltd, under the supervision of Jonathan Harwood of Alwyn Jones Penseiri Architects. The main priority has been to repair the roof, and this first phase of work included re-slating the pitched roofs, renewing defective fascias, barges and soffits, and renewing the rainwater disposal system, together with localised consolidation of existing stone walls. The opportunity was also taken to undertake Huw Edwards addressing the Learned Society of Wales strengthening works to secure the ceiling structure on Championing the Chapels. Photo: Celf Calon. while it was accessible. In addition, it was also possible to undertake drainage works for the disposal of rainwater. Huw Edwards ... a new patron

The Trustees are very pleased that Huw Edwards, chapel enthusiast, journalist and broadcaster, has agreed to become a patron of the Trust.

Huw Edwards has been a television journalist for 30 years. He presents BBC News at Ten, Britain’s most- watched news programme, and combines his studio duties with global reporting assignments. His recent series The Story of Wales was the first television history of Wales for 25 years and has won several awards. He is a Vice-President of the National Churches Trust.

He is the author of Capeli Our Rich Heritage, a Funding has come from Cadw, the Pilgrim very readable, thoughtful and meticulously researched Trust, Carmarthenshire County Council (Welsh book on the rise and fall of Llanelli’s chapels. He is Church Fund), The Vronhaul Llandinam Charity, currently writing a book on the Welsh churches and the Manifold Trust, the E & G Morgan Trust, the chapels of London. Allchurches Trust and the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The Trust is very grateful to all Huw Edwards believes that the importance of chapels funders. This first phase is being followed by in our national story needs to be properly recognised, window repairs and refurbishment during spring and promoted as a positive story, “The chapels of 2014. In due course further phases of work to the Wales, those distinctive emblems of Welshness, need exterior and interior of the building will follow the many more friends. . . They are all part of the story of roof and window repairs, including any suitable Wales.” alterations, as funds allow.

2 Hen Dŷ Cwrdd (The Old Meeting for the time and effort that they House) is the oldest Nonconformist have devoted to developing the place of worship in the Aberdare application. Despite these setbacks, district, established at Trecynon in the Trustees are determined 1751. to proceed with this flagship project. If the bid is successful, In this book – the first written development work will be about the chapel in English - David undertaken during 2014-15 with Leslie Davies traces the origins of capital works projected for 2015-16 the congregation to the mid-17th and project completion in 2019. century and concentrates on its history thereafter until 1862, when the cottage-like meeting-house of Back to the 1751 was demolished and replaced drawing board! by the present structure. A volunteer has been busy at Libanus builders Hen Dŷ Cwrdd, undertaking a full A Story of Dissent, measured survey of the building – and producing all the resulting Who Built Bethania drawings by hand and in ink. It took “A Palace of the Oral Arts” Chris King 27 visits and 134 hours Libanus? of work to measure and record Our initial application to the Hen Dŷ Cwrdd - and this is a small Whilst working on the roof and Heritage Lottery Fund for a one as Welsh chapels go! Mr ceiling at Libanus, the names Heritage Grant for Capel Bethania, King does not use, or like, CAD or of those who originally built or Maesteg (Welsh Baptist , listed digital means. All his drawings are repaired the chapel came to light, at grade II*), entitled A Story of done with Rotring pens and old carved and written on the central Dissent, Bethania “A Palace of fashioned spring bows on heavy roof truss king post. Carved in to the Oral Arts”, was submitted in weight tracing paper. A laser hand the kingpost are the letters J R and June 2012. Unfortunately it was held measure and laser level are his the date (as on the front of the not successful. The application only concessions to the digital age. chapel) of 1841. The other name, in was augmented, revised and pencil, is harder to decipher – and resubmitted in December 2012, seems to be M Moses (or possibly with substantial assistance Thos) possibly of Llangadog. Any from the Royal Commission help appreciated! on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales as project partners for the Hen Dŷ Cwrdd revised bid. This re-application was also unsuccessful. We have history published now further revised the bid, and have submitted a reduced “They Love To Be Dissenters” - The application, splitting the Origins and History of Hen Dŷ Cwrdd, project in to multiple phases. Aberdare, 1650 -1862. – a book about the history Preparing these applications of the cause at has entailed devoting a Hen Dŷ Cwrdd considerable amount of by local historian time and Trust resources David Leslie to this project – especially Davies M.A., was by Christine Moore, our launched at Hen Development Officer. The Dŷ Cwrdd during Trust is very grateful to an Open Doors our architect Alwyn Jones Day, September Penseiri Architects and 2012. other professional advisers

3 How You Can Help Our Work a membership form and bank Even simpler is Addoldai Cymru / Welsh standing order form are enclosed Give as You Live! Religious Buildings Trust was with this newsletter. Alternatively, Another painless Give as you Live® established by Cadw in 1999 to contact the Trust’s office. To those of means of giving (i.e. at take into its care some of the you who are already Friends – why no cost to you) is to sign up to Give best examples of redundant not pass on the membership form as You Live. If you shop online via non-Church in Wales religious to someone you think might be the Give As You Live website (or via buildings in Wales, for the interested? the browser plug-in) you will have benefit of local communities access to over 3,000 retailers who and future generations. It has a Make a participate in the scheme, many national role in promoting the of which will be already familiar understanding, appreciation Donation! to you ...the range is huge. Under and enjoyment of the religious the scheme whenever you make built-heritage of Wales. A donation, small or large, can be an on-line purchase the retailer applied according to your wishes makes a donation - perhaps up to From its beginnings, the Trust either to our work at a specific 6% - to your nominated charity, has benefitted greatly from building, or to the general work of a sum which otherwise would an annual grant from Cadw the Trust. be paid as a fee to a website or towards its running costs, marketing company. This happens including insurance and basic It can be made by sending a automatically at no cost to you, and maintenance of our portfolio cheque, a standing order, or directly Gift Aid can be added automatically of buildings. Unfortunately, to our bank account HSBC 40-16-02 too. Brilliant! You can sign up at this grant is not enough for the 31518097 (please provide a reference www.giveasyoulive.com/join/ amount of work that is facing so that we identify your donation) addoldaicymru-wrbt-1084030 the Trust. The generosity of our supporters has never been Add Gift Aid to your Donation! Consider Wales’ religious built more important to our work, If you pay UK income tax we can heritage when making your will and without such help our claim back an additional 25% of the work will need to be curtailed. Only a very small percentage of value of your gift from HMRC, at no Support can take several forms: those who support charities leave cost to you. Ask us for a form. a gift in their will. If you are shortly writing or revising your will, after Charity-giving websites you have looked after your family Become a The simplest way to donate is via and friends would you please Friend today! one of the following charity-giving consider leaving us a legacy to help websites (they collect the Gift Aid us care for our collection of Wales’ on our behalf, which helps!): If you have not already done so, historic religious buildings? You The best for us is BT’s MyDonate please join the Friends of Addoldai can discuss this with your solicitor at https://mydonate.bt.com/ Cymru today. Your subscription will or confidentially with our Trust charities/addoldaicymru welsh provide the Trust with a modest but Manager. religiousbuildingstrust which is BT’s very useful donation and you will free online fundraising service that receive an occasional newsletter All the above information is of doesn’t take any commission. about our work. Your membership course available on our website We are also to be found on will also help us to demonstrate www.addoldaicymru.org www.everyclick.com/ that we have supporters across where you can simply click addoldaicymru-wrbt-1084030 Wales and beyond. Membership through to the various options and www.thebiggive.org.uk. is open to all and costs £10 a year: mentioned.

The Trust receives grant aid from Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment division, to support a significant part of its day-to-day running costs. For more information about the Trust please contact us. We would be very pleased to hear from you! Email: [email protected] | Tel: 01766 515590 | www.addoldaicymru.org Welsh Religious Buildings Trust, Capel Peniel, Tremadog, Porthmadog, LL49 9PS Registered Charity 1084030 / Company Limited by Guarantee 3870343 4