Bethel Independent Chapel, Llansamlet, records

1. Photographs of Bethel Chapel, Llansamlet and its ministers and deacons, c. 1870s-2022

2. Adroddiadau blynyddol (annual reports), 1941-2021

3. Minutes of church meetings, deacons' meetings and church committees, 1877-1999

4. Records relating to members leaving Bethel, Llansamlet, 1925-2015

5. Registers of church members and their attendances and contributions, 1887-2017

6. Cash books recording receipts and payments, 1895-2013

7. Records relating to the graveyard and garden of remembrance, 1930-2021

8. Records relating to church fabric, property and trusteeship, 1882-2020

9. Orders of service and programmes for events relating to the history of Bethel, Llansamlet, its ministers and members, 1929-2016

10. Tape recordings of services and sermons at Bethel, Llansamlet, 1972-1988

11. Written, typed and printed histories of Bethel Chapel, Llansamlet, 1885-1980

12. Plans of services, 1980-2001

Bethel was a Welsh Independent chapel on Bethel Road, Llansamlet. The Cause began with the establishment of a Sunday School at Talycopa in 1815, in association with the preaching of the Rev. John Davies, minister at Mynyddbach Chapel, but originally from Birchgrove. The first chapel was built and opened on 16 August 1818. It was modified in 1839 with the addition of a gallery accessed by an exterior staircase, but this was found to be too small by 1850, when it was decided to rebuild it. The new chapel opened in 1851, with part of the original building serving as the manse. By 1879 this was in turn found to be too small and, after deliberating whether to enlarge or rebuild, the foundation stone for a new building was laid by Henry Hussey Vivian on 7 August 1879 and the new chapel, built to the design of the Rev. Thomas Thomas, opened in 1880. An organ was installed in 1931-1932. During the 1970s and 1980s Bethel shared a minister with Saron, Birchgrove. Following a decline in membership, the cause was brought to an end in 2022 and the chapel building sold to Liberty Church to establish a congregation in the east of Swansea. There is a burial ground adjoining the church and a small garden of remembrance for cremated remains.

Arranged into series by document type.

No restrictions

It is the policy of the West Glamorgan Archive Service to withhold the names of depositors.

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: West Glamorgan Archive Service, Religion - Nonconformist/Pictorial - Welsh Independent - Bethel Independent Chapel. Llansamlet, catalogue; GENUKI website (www.genuki.org.uk), viewed 7 September 2005; NLW, Capeli database, viewed 7 September 2005.

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at West Glamorgan Archive Service.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records have been retained

Accruals are not expected

Registers of baptisms, 1794-1837, are in The National Archives, RG 4/3497. A register of marriages, 1983-1987, is in West Glamorgan Archive Service, D/D W Cong Marr.