Chapel-related publications

The list concentrates on books in English which include information about Welsh chapels. Some of the books listed are now out of print. Books in Welsh are listed on the Welsh version of this page.

General

Cadw, Chapels in Wales: conservation and conversion. Cardiff: Cadw, 1999. (Very useful booklet with text by John Hilling.)

Ifans, Dafydd, ed., Nonconformist Registers of Wales. Aberystwyth: National Library of Wales, 1994.

Jones, Anthony, Welsh Chapels. 2nd ed., Stroud: Alan Sutton, 1996.

Owen, D Huw, The Chapels of Wales. Bridgend: Seren, 2012.

Roberts, Alun, Discovering Welsh Graves. Cardiff, University of Wales Press, 2002.

Smith, Ian, Tin Tabernacles: corrugated iron mission halls, churches and chapels of Britain. Camrose Organisation, 2004.

Districts

Barnes, David Russell, People of Seion: patterns of nonconformity in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire in the century preceding the Religious Census of 1851. Llandysul: Gomer, 1995. (Includes a chronological table of chapels by date of first building.)

Edwards, Huw, Capeli Llanelli: Our Rich Heritage. Carmarthen: Carmarthenshire County Council, 2009.

Hart, Susan, Hiraeth: a history of the Welsh and the Welsh Free Church in Western Australia, Welsh Free Church & University of Western Australia, 2009. 201pp.

Hilling, John & Traynor, Mary, Cardiff's Temples of Faith: a thousand years of places of worship. Cardiff: Civic Society, 2000.

Hunt, Anne & Bury, Lilian, Manchester Welsh Presbytery Past and Present, The Presbytery, 2007. 16pp. + 12pp. photos.

Jones, Alun Vernon, Chapels of the Cynon Valley. [Cwmdare]: Cynon Valley History Society, 2004.

Pritchard, T.W. A History of the Old Parish of Hawarden, Including Broughton, Ewloe, Garden City, Mancot, Pentrobin, Queensferry, Saltney, Saltney Ferry, Sandycroft, Sealand and Shotton. Wrexham: Bridge Books, 2002. (Includes much illustrated information about chapels.)

Pritchard, T.W. The Making of Buckley and District, Including Bistre, Argoed, Ewloe Wood, Ewloe Town, Pentrobin and Bannel. Wrexham: Bridge Books, 2006. (Includes a substantial illustrated chapter on the Nonconformists and their chapels.)

Rose, Jean, Cardiff Churches Through Time. Stroud: Amberley Publishing, 2013. 96pp.

Sinclair, J.B. & Fenn, R.W.D., Marching to Zion: Radnorshire chapels. Kington: Cadoc Books, 1990

Tonyrefail and District U3A Churches and chapels of Tonyrefail
A booklet compiled by the District's local history group, recording the history of the various places of worship in Tonyrefail, one of which was wantonly destroyed by vandals in October 2007. The booklet is uploaded here in pdf form and can be read or downloaded by clicking on the above link.

The Buildings of Wales Series
The series was originally published by Penguin but is now published by Yale University Press:

Denominations

Bassett, T.M., The Welsh Baptists. Swansea, Ty Ilston, 1977.

Jones, R. Tudur, Congregationalism in Wales, ed. Robert Pope. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2004.

Madden, Lionel, ed., Methodism in Wales: a short history of the Wesley tradition.
Llandudno, Methodist Conference, 2003.

Architects

Hughes, Stephen, Thomas Thomas, 1817-88: the first national architect of Wales. Reprinted from Archaeologia Cambrensis 152 (2003). Purchase from Book Sales, RCAHMW, Plas Crug, Aberystwyth SY23 1NJ. £5 plus £1 p&p.

Recent Chapel Histories

Chapel histories in English published since 2000. Histories in Welsh are listed on the Welsh page. We would welcome any additions to the list.

Aberdare Highland Place Unitarian Church 1860-2010: a story of resilience, ed. J. Eric Jones. The Church, 2011.

Aberaeron Tabernacle Aberaeron: an outline history, by Jean Porteous. The Author, c.2011. 29pp. (Calvinistic Methodist)

Beaufort Bethel Methodist Church, Beaufort, Ebbw Vale: a history celebrating 150 years 1851-2001, by Eric Smith and Keith Thomas. Cwmbran: Kerin Publishers, 2001. 53pp.

Birkenhead Alpha and Omega: Welsh Presbyterian witness in Laird Street, Birkenhead 1906-2006, by D. Ben Rees. Liverpool: Cyhoeddiadau Modern Cymreig, 2006. 200pp.

Bryncoch The History of Saron Chapel, Capel yr Annibynwyr, Bryncoch 1857-2007, The Chapel, 2007. 16p.

Caerwent Caerwent Baptist Church 1815-2000, by Eric Lovell. The Church, 2000. 38pp.

Carmarthen Zion 1850-2000: celebrating 150 years of worship at Zion Presbyterian Church, Mansel Street, Carmarthen. [The Church, 2000]. 17pp.

Cilcain Gad Chapel, Cilcain 1806-2006, by Eirlys Gruffydd. Cilcain: The Chapel, 2006. 11pp. + 20pp. of illustrations. Also includes longer Welsh text.

Crickhowell An Outline History of Bethabara Baptist Church, Crickhowell and Providence Baptist Church, Glangrwyne. The Church, 2008.

Crosskeys A History of Hope Baptist Church, Crosskeys, by Graham S. Osborne. Abertillery: Old Bakehouse Publications, 2006. 52pp.

Ellesmere Port The Welsh Missionary Witness in Ellesmere Port (1907-2007), by D Ben Rees.

Ferndale Salem Newydd Welsh Baptist Church, by Peter Brooks. The Author, 2008. 290pp. £10 (proceeds to Christian Aid; available from the author: phone 0796 280 7571; email: peter_t_brooks@hotmail.com)

Flint Mountain Bethel Methodist Church, Flint Mountain: centenary 1893-1993, by Megan Wall. [The Church, 1993]. 28pp. Bilingual.

Griffithstown A History of Griffithstown Baptist Church 1875-2000, by Tony Hopkins. The Church, 2000. 104pp.

Hirwaun Bethel (C.M.) Chapel, Hirwaun 1823-2008, The Chapel, 2008, 134pp.

Kidwelly Capel Sul, Cydweli: the history of a unique chapel, by Enid Harries. The Author, 2012. 194pp. (Congregational)

Liverpool Chatham Street: Chatham Building, by Arthur Thomas. Revised edition, University of Liverpool Management School, 2004. 64pp. (The first half of the booklet traces the history of Chatham Street Calvinistic Methodist chapel 1861-1949 when it was acquired by the University.)

Liverpool Labour of Love in Liverpool: a history of Bethel Chapel, Heathfield Road, by D Ben Rees. Cyhoeddiadau Modern Cymreig, 2008. 288pp.

Liverpool Liverpool's Welsh Cathedral: a history of Princes Road Welsh Methodist Chapel, by Arthur Thomas. Birkenhead: Countyvise, 2012. 105pp. (C.M.) Liverpool: Modern Welsh Publications, 2012. 124pp. (C.M.)

Llanfyllin The Tabernacl: Methodism in Llanfyllin 1801-2005, by Rhoswen Charles. The Tabernacl, 2006. 41pp. (Available from Rhoswen Charles, The Old Shop, Bwlchyddar, Llangedwyn, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 9LJ. Price £5)

Llangyfelach The History of Bethel Presbyterian Church, Llangyfelach 1808-2008. The Church, 2008. 5pp.

Llanilltyd Fardref The History of Salem Welsh Baptist Chapel, Llanilltyd Fardref: from the beginning 1825 to millennium 2000. Pontypridd: Berwyn Davies, 2000. 71pp.

Llantwit Major [i:Bethel Baptist Church, Llantwit Major. A short history], by Philip Trollope. Barry: The Author, 2004? 79pp.

Llanwenarth Llanwenarth Baptist Church 1652-2002: the history of the oldest Baptist fellowship now existing in Wales, by Peter Baines. Abergavenny: Govilan Village History Group, 2002. 208pp.

Llanvaches A History of Tabernacle United Reformed Church, Llanvaches by Shem Morgan. The Author, 2011.

London City Mission: the story of London's Welsh chapels by Huw Edwards. Talybont: Y Lolfa, 2014.

Manselton These Hundred Years: a history of Christ Well – Manselton United Reformed Church 1906-2006, by Robert Pope. The Church, 2006.

Mold In Partnership Together: Tyddyn Street Church, Mold: a record of…the last ten years. Mold, The Church, 2007. 19pp. (Joint Presbyterian/URC)

Moreton A Short History of Moreton Presbyterian Church 1906-2006, by Gwyn Owen. Hoylake: The Church, 2006. 58pp.

Neath A History of the Presbyterian Church of Wales at London Road, Neath. The Church, 2004.

Nercwys 'Soar Chapel' by Elizabeth Ingham and 'Gobeithfa - The Welsh Wesleyan Methodist Chapel' by Irfon Oldfield in Our Village: Nercwys, by T.W. Pritchard and Norma Evans. Wrexham: Bridge Books, 2000, pp.124-31.

Newtown A History of Crescent Chapel, Newtown. The Chapel, 2004. 60pp.

Newtown Wesley Methodist Church, Newtown: the first 200 years, by Glyn Tegai Hughes. Wesley Methodist Church, Newtown, Powys, 2000. 24pp.

Penyfai Smyrna Baptist Chapel, Penyfai, Glamorgan: celebrating 300 years of worship. The Chapel, 2006.

Ponthir The History of Ponthir Baptist Church (1803-2003), by Nigel D. Burge. Monmouth: The Author, 2003. 94pp.

Pontlliw Notes and Reflections on the History of Carmel, Pontlliw (1832-2008), by D. Islwyn Davies, 2008. 40pp. Baptist

Sketty Memories Down the Years, ed. Janet M. Neilson. Sketty Methodist Church (c/o 19 Gabalfa Road, Sketty, Swansea SA2 8NF), 2001. 88pp.

Trecenydd St Cenydd Road Presbyterian Church, Trecenydd (Beddau Mission) 1906-2006. The Church, 2006. 44pp.

Venedocia, Ohio Salem Presbyterian Church (1848-2008), by David H Evans & Wendy S Pratt. Venedocia, The Church, 2008. 245pp.

Waterloo (Liverpool) Circle of Time: a History of Bethania Chapel, Waterloo, by John P. Lynch, Liverpool, Modern Welsh Publications, 2013. (Calvinistic Methodist)