Abertillery History

The Tabernacle Congregational Church. In the mid 1850’s Abertillery was a relatively small village sparsely populated with only a few coal levels, two deep collieries and a tin works. Within a short while the various industries rapidly expanded and people from all over the South West of England and beyond migrated to the valley’s. The industrial development in the area …

The Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel – Carmel Chapel. At the start of their religious activities at Abertillery the Calvanistic Movement held their meetings in a house in Mill Street, what is now known as Carmel Street, Abertillery. This meeting house was much later to become a Fish & Chip Shop.  In March 1874 the London Gazette issued a notice that …

The Six Bells Baptist Chapel – The Bethany. The Six Bells Baptist Church at Six Bells was formed in 1897 as an off shoot of the King Street Baptist Church, Abertillery. At the time, less than a dozen coal miners of the Baptist denomination held their Sabbath meetings in the room of a small cottage in the neighbourhood. Some of …

The Original Presbyterian Chapel Six Bells. The Presbyterian Forward Movement was started at Six Bells, Abertillery in 1893. In June 1893 the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists under the auspices of the Forward Movement proposed to erect a chapel at Six Bells. Mr T. P. Price offered a site for nothing, although they could not find a suitable piece of ground on …

The New Presbyterian Chapel Six Bells. The new Presbyterian Chapel building was proposed in 1903. The old original iron structured chapel on Bridge Street was becoming too small for purpose and a new much larger chapel was planned. Just two years later the chapel attendance reached 180 worshippers and the schoolroom attendance was 220 pupils. Following is a Link to – …

Primitive Methodist Chapel Six Bells. In January 1895 the Primitive Methodists at Six Bells held a meeting in the Hafod Van Reading Room. The chairman was Rev J. Turner. Songs were sung under the conductorship of Mr W. Doel and the proceeds went towards the chapel building fund. Services were later held regularly in the Reading Room. In late 1895 …

St John’s Church Six Bells. In the early 1900’s the Anglican Church held meetings and Rev D. Felix, the rector of Llanhilleth had conducted services at the Six Bells School. In February 1905 it was reported in the Parish Magazine that a loan of £1,200 had been negotiated and the vicar Rev H. S. Rees was able to proceed with …

Christian Meeting House – Church of Christ. The Christian Church of Christ Movement started in Abertillery in the early 1900’s. They had no creed, the New Testament was their law. They believed in mutual ministry and had no sectarian aims and did not believe in public collections. They pleaded for a return to primitive Christianity. Their very first meeting was …

King Street Baptist Chapel. In the mid 19th century English speaking Baptists at Abertillery held their prayer meetings at the homes of the various members, mostly at the home of Mr Watkin Rowlands at Forge Row, Abertillery. Mr Hill. On Sunday 4th of April 1852, a sermon was preached by Mr Hill, a student at Pontypool College. The Founders of …

The Bible Christian Chapel – Red Brick Chapel Cwmtillery. The construction of a Bible Christian chapel was proposed at Cwmtillery in 1871. The Original Chapel. On Good Friday, 7th of April 1871, the ceremony of the laying of the Foundation Stones took place. Over 350 people watched the ceremony take place on the land of the South Wales Collieries. The …