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BETHANIA WELSH BAPTIST CHAPEL

MOUNT STREET, GOWERTON, SWANSEA SA4 3EJ MAP REFERENCE SS 587 963.

MEMORIAL INSCRIPTIONS

UNDERTAKEN BY J. STUART ELEY

Until the opening of Bethania Chapel in 1876, baptisms had taken place in the River Llan, near to the present stone bridge and Cricket ground in Victoria Road, Gowerton. Reverend WILLIAM DAVIES, Baptist Minister at Seion, Waunarlwydd (the next village) made the first move to establish a recognised place of worship in Gowerton when in 1867, he leased a quarter of an acre of ground to build a “schoolroom” for the village Baptists from JOHN SHAW owner of the Gurnos Estate.

The Chapel was opened on the 2nd of October 1868 and named BETHANIA. The builders

were WILLIAM EDWARDS and Son, Waunarlwydd and the cost £250. The same contractor also built the Chapel house at a further cost of £195. The first Minister was Rev. JOHN DAVIES. The village medical practitioner and chapel member Dr. D.G. PROTHEROE, a native of Blaena, Llandybie laid the foundation stone on the 2nd October 1876. Baptisms in the River Llan ceased on the opening of the Chapel following the building of a baptismal well in front of the pulpit.

The burial ground to the rear of the chapel, together with that of BETHEL Calvanistic

Methodists in Sterry Road was the last resting place of many of the local community until Pontybrenin Cemetery was opened in 1902. Many of the founding members of the Chapel are buried here; unfortunately the ravages of time have not allowed the preservation and identity of most of the graves. The area is largely overgrown, grave stones were laid on the ground due to instability; graves are not marked. The Chapel was closed in 1988 due to problems with its structural stability; the organ and pulpit were removed to the Vestry, interior woodwork removed in 1989 followed by demolition in 1991.

Services are still taken on Sunday afternoon in the Vestry at the rear of the old Chapel; the

land on which it stood is now occupied by domestic housing. The local library holds a copy of a booklet entitled HHANES BETHANIA, Gowerton 1874 –1974 gan Y Parch TREFOR OWEN (History of BETHANIA, Gowerton 1874 – 1974 written by REV. TREFOR OWEN).

Inside the Vestry there are a number of memorial wall tablets, a Roll of Honour for those

Chapel members who went to fight in the Great War 1914 –1918 that includes the name of five men who did not return, a clock, a painting of the Chapel prior to its demolition, the Silver trowel used to lay the foundation stone of the Chapel in 1876 and a number of photographs of Ministers, Deacons and chapel members.

Further reference to and photographs of BETHANIA Chapel can also be found in the book

“Talking about Gowerton” with J. HYWEL REES, copies can be obtained from the Gowerton Community Council or borrowed from the local Library.

SURNAME FORENAMES DATE AGE LOCATIONBEYNON MARLYN V8CHARLES THOMAS V8DAVIES BRYNMORE V8DAVIES DANIEL J. V8DAVIES DAVID JAMES V8DAVIES DAVID JAMES M2DAVIES EDGAR V4DAVIES ELIZABETH HANNAH 28.11.1882 5 M2DAVIES GEORGE V8DAVIES ISAAC V8DAVIES REBECCA M2DAVIES RODERICK V4DAVIES ROWLAND V8DAVIES RUFUS 24.03.1903 23 M2DAVIES VIVIAN V8ELLIS IVOR V8EMBLIN E. V1EVANS DIDYMUS V8EVANS HANDEL J. V8GEORGE THOMAS V8GRIFFITHS BEN V8GWYNNE EMLYN V8HOWELLS J. GLYNWEN V8JAMES ANN 25.11.???9 82 M5JAMES DAVID 27.10.1894 75 M5JENKINS BLODWEN V6JENKINS GWYNFRYN V8JENKINS OSWALD V8JENKINS OWAIN V8JOHN CHARLES G. V8JOHN IVOR V8JONES BRONWEN V5JONES ELIZA 25.12.1885 38 M3JONES WILLIAM 08.04.1889 44 M3LLOYD DAVID JOSEPH V8LLOYD JOHN THOMAS V8MORGAN TREVOR V8MORGAN ELEANOR ANN 10.03.1894 5 M1MORGAN JAMES 19.11.1906 59 M1PEEK LEN V7PHILLIPS ROBERT V8PROTHERO D. G. V7REES ERNEST V8RICHARDS EMLYN V8ROBERTS GWILYM V8ROWE THOMAS V8ROWLANDS GARFIELD V2THOMAS JOHN V8THOMAS H. REES V8THOMAS EDWARD J. V8THOMAS IVOR V8THOMAS ABEL V8THOMAS BLEDDYN V8

SURNAME FORENAMES DATE AGE LOCATIONTHOMAS SYDNEY V8THOMAS MARGARET 02.03.1884 43 M4THOMAS DANIEL . 30.04.1882 45 M4THOMAS MARY ELLEN BLODWEN 05.09.1893 14M M4WILLIAMS LLEWELLYN V3WILLIAMS AUERIN V8WILLIAMS DANIEL V8WILLIAMS LLEWELLYN V8WILLIAMS J. THOMAS V8WILLIAMS WILLIAM HENRY V8WILLIAMS WILLIAM JOHN V8

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Wall mounted memorials / Clock. Clock – In loving memory of Mrs E. EMBLIN, presented to Bethania 1984. Picture of the wall painting in the Chapel “Duw Cariad yw” – In memory of GARFIELD ROWLANDS English translation – God is Love. Dodrefnwyd yr ystafell / hon gam / Mr & Mrs LLEWELLYN WILLIAMS / er cof am / eu merch JEAN. Sulgwyn 1956. English translation This extension to this building has been erected on behalf of / Mr & Mrs LLEWELLYN WILLIAMS / in loving memory / of their daughter JEAN. Easter1956. Gofio EDGAR DAVIES / Trysorydd Bethania 1923 – 1974v / mab RODERICK DAVIES / Cyn Drysorydd yr Elglwys 1885 – 1923. This memorial was presented by the family. English translation. Gofio EDGAR DAVIES / Treasurer Bethania 1923 – 1974 / son of RODERICK DAVIES / Treasurer of this church 1885 – 1923. This memorial was presented by the family. To the Glory of God / and in loving memory / of BRONWEN JONES / 1923 – 1992. Er cof am BLODWEN JENKINS / Teulu / Gwyn-yr- Awel / Gwyn er byd y pur / o galon – Canys hwy / a welant dduw. 1887 – 1969. English translation. In loving memory of BLODWEN JENKINS / Teulu / Gwyn-yr- Awel / “Blessed are they that are pure in heart / for they shall see God”. Silver Trowel /Trophy Cabinet in Deacon’s Room. Silver Trowel - Presented to D. G. PROTHERO Esq., on the occasion of his laying the foundation stone of Bethania Baptist Chapel, Gower Road, October2nd 1876. The cabinet was made by LEN PEEK and presented to Bethania Chapel October 17th 1959. World War One Roll of Honour. (Surnames first) For King and Country European War 1914 – 1918, names of members who joined His Majesty’s Forces from Bethania Welsh Baptist Church, Gowerton / The fallen in battle JENKINS; OWAIN / THOMAS; JOHN / THOMAS; H. REES / THOMAS; EDWARD J / THOMAS; IVOR. Those who returned; BEYNON; MARLYN A. / CHARLES; THOMAS. G / DANIELS; BRYNMORE. J / DANIELS; VIVIAN / DAVIES; DAVID JAMES / DAVIES; DANIEL. J / DAVIES; GEORGE / DAVIES; ISAAC / DAVIES; ROWLAND / ELLIS; IVOR / EVANS; DIDYMUS / EVANS; HANDEL. J / GEORGE; THOMAS / GRIFFITHS; BEN / GWYNNE; EMLYN / HOWELLS; J. GLYNWYN / JENKINS; GWYNFRYN / JENKINS; OSWALD / JOHN; CHARLES. G / JOHN; IVOR / JOHN; WILLIAM / LLOYD; DAVID JOSEPH / LLOYD; JOHN THOMAS / MORGAN; TREVOR / PHILLIPS; ROBERT / REES; ERNEST / RICHARDS; EMLYN / ROBERTS; GWILYM / ROWE; THOMAS / THOMAS; ABEL / THOMAS; BLEDDDYN / THOMAS; SYDNEY / WILLIAMS; ANEURIN / WILLIAMS; DANIEL / WILLIAMS; LLEWELLYN / WILLIAMS; J. THOMAS / WILLIAMS; WILLIAM HENRY / WILLIAMS; WILLIAM JOHN. Memorial Inscriptions. The graveyard lay to the rear of the Chapel prior to its demolition along side and to the rear of the existing Vestry. There are no standing stones, the only stones found were barely visible through the undergrowth, which has overtaken the area, and some of these have no readable inscription. It is impossible to know how the graves were originally laid out kerbs show through the ground and there is evidence that a number of people were buried in the area. Under a large bush at rear of vestry. Grey marble copestone on plinth.. In loving memory of / ELEANOR ANN daughter of JAMES and CATHERINE MORGAN, Gowerton / died March 10 1894 aged 5 years / also JAMES MORRIS / the aforesaid died November 19 1906 aged 59 years.