Ynysgau Chapel, Merthyr Tydfil

51°44′47″N 3°22′51″W﻿ / ﻿51.746329°N 3.380863°W﻿ / 51.746329; -3.380863

Church in Wales

Ynysgau Chapel, Merthyr Tydfil

Photograph from the Martin Ridley Collection, which documents the towns and villages of South Wales c.1900-1910

OS grid reference| SO04750618
Country| Wales, United Kingdom
Denomination| Independent (Congregationalist)
History
Founded| 1749; 276 years ago (1749)
Architecture
Architectural type| Chapel
Style| mid 19th century
Completed| 1854; 171 years ago (1854)
Closed| 1967; 58 years ago (1967)

Ynysgau Chapel was one of the earliest chapels in Merthyr Tydfil. The cause dated back to 1749 and services were held in the Welsh language. The chapel was demolished in 1967 as part of the Merthyr Town Improvement Scheme.[1]

## Early history

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The original cause at Ynysgau was established by various ‘Dissenters’ from the Church of England.[2] It was acquired by the Independents (Congregationalists) by the early nineteenth century.[3]

A new chapel was built in the 1850s and opened on Easter Sunday, 1854.[2] A contemporary account described the new building as a "new structure of much architectural beauty, decorated with coloured glass windows."[4] This was the final building to house the chapel.

Facing the chapel was the Old Iron Bridge of 1800, and the later Ynsgau Bridge of 1880. These were both demolished in 1963, as part of the same river and road improvement works which saw the chapel demolished.

## References

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1. ^ "Merthyr Tydfil". Genuki. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
2. ^ a b Rees & Thomas (1871), p. 244.
3. ^ Brewer, Steve. "The Birth of Non-Conformity in Merthyr". The Melting Pot. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
4. ^ "Merthyr and Neighbourhood". Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian. 28 April 1854. p. 3. Retrieved 9 January 2019.

## Sources

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* Rees, Thomas; Thomas, John (1871). Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru. Vol. 2.