Accounting for the Chapels of the Valleys

Posted on February 7th, 2008 filed in Books, Chapel & Church

In his book Chapels of the Cynon Valley (Gomer, Llandysul, 2004 Alan Vernon Jones presents an accountant-like view of the Chapels of this Valley.

He presents a ‘Chapel Balance Sheet’ thus :

Chapels of the Cynon Valley as at Autumn 2004 (the publication date of his book)

Active Chapels = 63 35%

Vacant Chapels = 11 6%

Converted Chapels = 50 28%

Demolished = 56 31%

Total chapels built = 180

So in summary, a third of Cynon Valley’s Chapels no longer exist after being demolished. The highest rate of demolition took placed during the period 1960-2000 when 45 Cynon Valley Chapels were demolished.

Then around another third have been converted (and those conversions have not always been sympathetic to the architectural integrity of the original chapel design).

The other third are still active as places of worship and continue to contribute to the cultural and spiritual life of the Valley. A photographic record of the majority of the remaining Chapels (and Churches) of the Cynon Valley are available in the Gallery.

In the Photograph : Bethania Chapel, Wind Street, Aberdare. Hiding behind the Black Lion Hotel. This Chapel is no longer active, the building is now derelict. It closed in the 1990s.