277:"I remember that once a month on Sunday afternoons, Dr. Price, the Baptist minister, used to baptise his recent converts in the Cynon River, alongside the iron bridge at the bottom of Commercial Street. I have seen as many as 25 or 30 converts, men and women, on the same afternoon. On these occasions the whole of the Baptist community used to meet at the chapel and march ii procession through the streets with the converts, the men converts being attired in long black robes and the women in white. They marched through the streets from the chapel to the place of baptism singing hymns. As a matter of course, large crowds gathered on the river banks to witness the immersions."
327:
also a pavilion that could accommodate 150 people. The recreation ground was opened by W.M. Llewellyn, who held the ceremonial post of High
Constable of Miskin. In his speech, Llewellyn implied that some member at Calfaria had reservations over the scheme, but he felt that having sport played under the supervision of a religious body brought numerous benefits. In a progressive age, Llewellyn declared, the success of the churches depended on their "offering of an incentive capable of attracting the people." Until the outbreak of the Second World War, the activities of the chapel included a lawn tennis team who competed against other teams from the locality.
34:
282:
222:. In 1811, a small piece of land was leased from Griffith Davies of Ynysybwl and 1812, Carmel Baptist Church was opened. Known locally as Penpound, the first minister was William Lewis. The church struggled in the early days owing to the failure of the Aberdare Ironworks in 1815. Lewis's pastorate came to an end after only two years.
273:. 927 altogether were released from Calfaria to form churches in various parts of the district. Price, however, ensured that the unity of the Baptist 'family' of churches was maintained by such activities as Baptismal services in the river Cynon and annual eisteddfodau. In 1913, a local resident recalled:
238:, cost £1,400 to build and seated 840. The building was extended in 1859 and the adjacent Calfaria Hall built in 1871. The first service was held at Calfaria on 8 February 1852. By this time, Price had become a leading figure in public life, primarily as a result of his very public criticisms of the 1847
326:
In 1923, Griffiths was elected president of the
Baptist Union of Wales. During his year as president, Calfaria embarked on a significant innovation by opening a recreation ground at the nearby Mardy Field, including two hard tennis courts, two bowling greens and a playing area for children. There was
205:
valley. The chapel had an ornate interior, including a boarded ceiling with a deeply undercut rose, while the balcony balustrading had a cast iron front with an intricate foliage design. These features were common in the Welsh chapels of the late nineteenth century. The organ was installed in 1903 at
233:
commenced his ministry in 1845. As the membership grew the building became too small so Carmel was handed over to a smaller
English speaking congregation while a new chapel, Calfaria, was built nearby. The new chapel was designed by Thomas Joseph, a colliery engineer from
919:"Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the inhabitants of the parish of Aberdare in the county of Glamorgan"
356:, Whitland, Birchgrove (Swansea) and Treharris. Alun Daies died on 22 December 1985 and his funeral was held at Calfaria eight days later. Among those who participated at his funeral was his lifelong friend, the poet
370:
In August 2019 it was announced that retired
Baptist minister Robert Stivey had bought the Calfaria building (as well as a number of other chapels) with a view of reopening as a community church.
249:
At one time in the nineteenth century, Calfaria had over a thousand members but many hundreds were transferred to branch chapels established at the instigation of Thomas Price. In 1855 the
367:
in the valley and by 2003 the membership had fallen to 19 with an average attendance of six at the evening service. After many years of decline, Calfaria eventually closed in 2012.
330:
In 1925 the membership stood at 395. The pastorate of James
Griffiths came to an end in 1930 and he died three years later. He was buried at his native Blackmill, near Bridgend.
253:
was formed as a branch of the
Hirwaun Baptist Church; and in 1856 91 members from Calfaria were transferred to form the English Baptist Church at Carmel, Aberdare.
994:
289:
Calfaria retained its pre-eminence among the
Baptist churches of the valley although Price's prestige was somewhat undermined by his failure to support
323:
Griffiths later wrote the church's centenary history in 1912. Membership stood at 537 in 1899 with a slight decline to 420 by 1916 and 396 in 1925.
345:
Four years passed until a successor was found, an in 1951 Davies presided at an induction service for H.D. Thomas, previously minister of Hebron,
297:. In 1869, Price visited the United States for six months with his daughter Emily. His funeral in 1888 was one of the biggest seen in the valley.
313:
received a unanimous call to become his successor at
Calfaria. He was inducted as minister at special services held on Christmas Day 1888.
748:
306:
940:
979:
614:
588:
294:
999:
218:
The earliest
Baptist meetings in the area were held in agricultural buildings or in the Long Room of the Farmers Arms in
989:
339:
349:. He remained at Calfaria until 1961. Dennis Jenkins became minister in 1962. Membership had fallen to 168 by 1963.
846:"Dr. Thomas Price and the election of 1868 in Merthyr Tydfil : a study in nonconformist politics (Part One)"
243:
230:
692:
666:
640:
875:
48:
261:; in 1855, 89 were released to start a cause at Mountain Ash, and in 1862, 163 were released to strengthen
266:
239:
470:
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419:
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held its annual assembly at
Calfaria, and in 1903 a new organ was purchased at a cost of £850.
317:
74:
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Griffiths was succeeded in 1932 by D. Herbert Davies, who served until 1947 when he moved to
853:
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8:
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a cost of £850. It was played for the last time in 2012 by Robert Nicholls, during a
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In the 1970s, Alun Davies became minister at Calfaria, having previously served at
262:
254:
258:
107:
775:
364:
885:
Parry, R. Ifor (1964). "Crefydd yng Nghwm Aberdar, a Chyfraniad y Bedyddwyr".
242:
and the evidence given to the commissioners by the vicar of Aberdare, the Rev
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955:
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Like so many chapels, the difficulties continued with the decline of the
207:
918:
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615:"Mr W.M. Llewellyn on Sport. Plea for the Interest of the Churches"
346:
281:
257:, was opened in 1857. In 1849 121 members were transferred to form
219:
202:
194:
79:
589:"Innovation at Aberdare. Calfaria Chapel Recreation Ground Opened"
235:
776:"Minister Robert Stivey buys 12 chapels to restore in Wales"
471:"Old Aberdare. Leading Men and Establishments 50 Years Ago"
420:"Old Aberdare. Local History of the Baptist Denomination"
265:; in the same year 131 were released to form a church in
571:
569:
395:
393:
391:
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385:
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641:"Lawn Tennis. Glyn Neath Welfare v Calfaria Aberdare"
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438:
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broadcast shortly before the closure of the chapel.
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548:"Sefydlu Gweinidog Newydd yng Nghalfaria. Aberdar"
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995:Grade II listed churches in Rhondda Cynon Taf
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225:
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414:
412:
410:
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895:Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru, Y Rhos, Aberpennar
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16:Former chapel in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
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916:
773:
405:
38:Calfaria, Aberdare, now closed, in 2014
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808:
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554:(in Welsh). 10 January 1890. p. 1
269:; in 1865 49 were transferred to form
884:
865:
843:
802:
456:
444:
399:
870:. Cynon Valley Historical Society.
496:"Funeral of the Late Rev. Dr Price"
13:
14:
1011:
191:Calfaria Baptist Chapel, Aberdare
155:1852 (replacing earlier building)
917:Rammell, Thomas Webster (1853).
731:
469:Alexander, D.T. (5 April 1913).
213:
809:Davies, G. Henton (July 1968).
774:Servini, Nick (1 August 2019).
767:
747:Morgan, Gwyn (9 January 1986).
725:
685:
659:
633:
607:
581:
903:Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru, Aberdâr
887:Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru, Aberdar
830:10.1080/0005576X.1968.11751256
719:Undeb Bedyddwyr Cymru, Aberdâr
595:. 1 September 1923. p. 11
488:
1:
844:Jones, Ieuan Gwynedd (1964).
721:(in Welsh). 1964. p. 62.
373:
980:Chapels in Rhondda Cynon Taf
301:Pastorate of James Griffiths
7:
868:Chapels of the Cynon Valley
866:Jones, Alan Vernon (2004).
673:. 18 April 1933. p. 12
667:"Late Rev. James Griffiths"
621:. 29 August 1923. p. 5
528:. 5 October 1889. p. 7
10:
1016:
1000:Churches completed in 1852
797:
990:Baptist churches in Wales
925:. General Board of Health
910:
305:Following Price's death,
251:Heolyfelin Baptist Church
193:, was one of the largest
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699:. 11 May 1951. p. 3
647:. 3 June 1939. p. 4
226:Thomas Price at Calfaria
526:South Wales Daily News
334:20th century and later
286:
279:
201:and the oldest in the
755:(in Welsh). p. 6
734:Chapels in the Valley
295:1868 General Election
284:
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69:Wales, United Kingdom
61:Monk Street, Aberdare
854:Welsh History Review
811:"A Welsh Man of God"
104:Heritage designation
952: /
318:Welsh Baptist Union
199:South Wales Valleys
956:51.7119°N 3.4460°W
889:(in Welsh): 15–61.
803:Books and Journals
340:Penuel, Carmarthen
311:Calfaria, Llanelli
287:
147:Early 19th century
132:Architectural type
27:Calfaria, Aberdare
905:(in Welsh). 1964.
897:(in Welsh). 1947.
818:Baptist Quarterly
447:, pp. 153–4.
426:. 1 November 1913
240:Education Reports
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160:Construction cost
49:OS grid reference
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402:, pp. 95–6.
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358:Rhydwen Williams
354:Bethel, Abernant
285:Rev Thomas Price
263:Bethel, Abernant
255:Bethel, Abernant
197:churches in the
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502:. 10 March 1888
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693:"The Churches"
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578:, p. 365.
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500:Aberdare Times
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459:, p. 153.
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701:. Retrieved
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677:10 September
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671:Western Mail
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651:11 September
649:. Retrieved
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625:13 September
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619:Western Mail
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316:In 1898 the
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231:Thomas Price
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123:Architect(s)
99:Architecture
75:Denomination
18:
959: /
835:21 November
576:Davies 1968
552:Seren Cymru
506:11 November
430:11 November
208:Radio Cymru
974:Categories
944:51°42′43″N
877:0953107612
759:12 October
749:"Safbwynt"
558:11 January
532:11 January
522:"Aberdare"
480:19 January
457:Jones 1964
445:Jones 1964
400:Jones 2004
374:References
114:Designated
53:SO00190245
947:3°26′46″W
152:Completed
985:Aberdare
929:13 March
785:8 August
780:BBC News
347:Holyhead
267:Ynyslwyd
220:Aberdare
203:Aberdare
181:Capacity
108:Grade II
58:Location
798:Sources
293:at the
236:Hirwaun
195:baptist
91:Founded
86:History
80:Baptist
66:Country
911:Online
874:
732:Rees.
168:Closed
163:£1,400
136:Chapel
849:(PDF)
814:(PDF)
143:Style
931:2017
872:ISBN
837:2017
822:XXII
787:2019
761:2022
705:2021
679:2021
653:2021
627:2021
601:2021
560:2016
534:2016
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482:2014
432:2013
171:2012
94:1811
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