Tabernacle Chapel in Aberystwyth
According to Capel, the Chapels Heritage Society, “the present Tabernacle Chapel is the fourth chapel to have been built on the same site by the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists in Aberystwyth. The first ‘Tabernacle’ Chapel was built in 1785 (facing Mill Street) although at that time it was referred to as ‘Capel y Groes’ (The Chaple of the Cross). It was the first meeting house (Ty+ Cwrdd) for those early Methodists in Aberystwyth who had formed themselves into a ‘Society’ to further their cause in the town. It should be noted that although the Methodist Revival in Wales is dated from Howell Harris’s conversion on Palm Sunday 1735, the movement did not secure a foothold in Aberystwyth until 1785.” (Source : Capeli, Local Information Sheet 11, Moelwyn I Williams).
In the gallery of images below, if you look closely, you can see the sandstone eroding, especially on delicate architectural features. Local sandstone was used to build Tabernacle Chapel, Aberystwyth. Some other chapels could import more expensive stone with more durable qualities from further afield. If you gently rub your hand against the walls, you can feel the sand fall away from the building…
Postscript :
On July 4th 2008 a fire at the Chapel caused extensive damage to all four floors.
On Friday 11th July 2008, the Chapel was demolished.
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