Radnorshire Primitive Methodists

Chapels in the Knighton Circuit

Primitive Methodist missionaries reached Radnorshire quite early in the history of the movement, meeting at first in farm houses, and also working within other groups such as the Quakers and Calvinistic Methodists. 

Many chapels came under their influence such as Pound chapel in Llanbister (later Baptist) and Cornhill chapel in Llandegley (later Calvinistic Methodist). They were later largely responsible for an evangelical opening out of the Quaker tradition in meeting houses in Llandrindod and in Penybont.

Knighton Circuit began with the building of a chapel on the site of the present railway station at Knighton in 1852, which moved to Bread Street in 1861. Brook House chapel was built in 1857, Lloiney chapel in 1852, Llangynllo in 1853, Bleddfa in 1862, Cwmygaist in 1863, Llanddewi in 1870.

Among the records of the circuit which have been deposited at Powys Archives are the quarterly meeting minutes, which reveal that in 1871 a local preacher was removed from the plan for ‘being drunk and fighting at Clun Fair’. 

Some of the chapels had burial grounds, including Cwmygaist where there is a very small burial area in the corner of a field some distance from the chapel. Most of the chapel buildings have now been sold and converted into houses. 

Sources

Geraint Hughes, ‘Primitive Methodists of Radnorshire’, Cronicl Powys 77, August 2009, pp 24-25.

Minutes of quarterly circuit meetings, Sunday School registers and accounts, Powys Archives [Ref: R/NC/4].

 

Comments about this page

  • There was a chapel built at Penybont in 1822 that was of Calvinistic origin. Another at Heartsease in 1842 and the Tanhouse in 1832. The Cornhill was also under the same denominational connection under the Rev Simon Roberts who lived in New Radnor and who died in 1891.

    There was a clear distinction between Methodists (Wesley) and Calvinists (Harris) in doctrine.

    By Rev Brian Reardon (05/02/2019)

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