Plough Chapel, Lion Street, Brecon

Description

Denomination: originally Welsh Independent, now United Reformed Church

Built: 1841

Photography: John Ball
Date: 12 January 2007
Camera: Nikon D50 digital SLR

History: The roots of Plough Chapel go back to the 17th century and the early days of persecution, when meetings were held in many places throughout Breconshire, including Aberllynfi, ten miles northeast of Brecon, where the founder members of three chapels, including the Plough, congregated, and the meeting place to which Richard Williams made a bequest of a farm of 100 acres called Ty Rhydymaen in Merthyr Cynog so that Aberllynfi could be maintained. This farm was in the possession of the Plough chapel until recently. It is not recorded when the worshippers at Aberllynfi moved into town since they lived for the most part in or near the town, but it is probable that they moved to Gludy, Richard Williams's farmhouse between Brecon and Aberyscir in 1693 before moving to a house in Ship Street, Brecon. A chapel was built on the site of the Plough public house and was completed on 5 October 1699. This building lasted with a small extension until 1841, when a new chapel was built near to the old one, but between 1874 and 1901 it was enlarged and transformed into the chapel that it is today. [Details extracted from Local Information Sheet 18 - Aberhonddu / Brecon, published by Cymdeithas Treftadaeth Y Capeli - The Chapels Heritage Society. Full text accessible on-line at http://www.capeli.org.uk/uploads/local_18_brecon.pdf] Photography: John Ball Date: 12 January 2007 Camera: Nikon D50 digital SLR

Image 2-4:

Exterior and interior views, Plough Chapel.

• http://www.jlb2011.co.uk/walespic/churches/brecon2.htm (link opens in new window)