Zion

Notable Churches in and around Llanelli

The information in this section is an edited version taken from Llanelli - Birth of a Town a CdRom by William and Benita Rees

Baptist Chapels

Welsh Baptist Associations Llanelli Baptists

Capel Seion (Zion), Eglwys Seion

Upper Park Street

Zion

Seion and the School Room

A schoolroom was opened on 15 June 1874, the chapel was extended and a new gallery was built behind the pulpit for the choir. In 1913 this imposing School Room was built next to Seion and the inscription ‘Ysgoldy 1913’ can be seen above the four arched windows.

The first group of Baptists in the Llanelli area held their services in 1649 but with the rise of Oliver Cromwell in common with Baptists everywhere they were forced to worship in secret until the Toleration Act was passed in 1688. The first local meeting place was built at Adulam in 1709 and during 1735 the church was officially established with 55 members who had originally been associated with Ilston on Gower.

Around 1776 some of the members of Adulam established a branch church in the town and meetings were first held in a small house situated in Spring Gardens. This branch of Adulam came under the authority of the mother church in Felinfoel.

Around 1813 the small faithful group founded Seion, the first Baptist Chapel established in Llanelli. In modern times the speakers’ pulpit in Town Hall Square, opposite the Town Hall is said to mark the spot where the original meetings were held. The small meeting house was demolished in 1930 to make room for the new Square and gardens.

In 1822 John Roberts gave the worshippers a plot of land and the first meeting house which cost £700, was erected at Upper Park Street. The newly built chapel was officially opened on 23-24 June 1823. At this time the church at Zion was not independent of the mother church and those who worshipped at Zion were still members of Adulam. These members were required to be present at Adulam for communion every month and so services were only held on three Sundays of the month at Zion.

A formal request was made to the church at Adulam in February 1831 for independence from that cause. Approval was granted on 3 May 1831 and 161 members of Adulam were released and transferred their membership to the new Baptist cause at Zion. The work was so successful that within seven years it was necessary to build at larger chapel which cost £900.

During February 1840 a new Baptist cause was established at Bethel, Seaside, and was officially opened on 15-16 February 1841. At this time 45 members of Zion were released and their membership was transferred to Bethel. When the English Baptist cause was established at Greenfield in 1858, some of the members from Zion were released.

The membership of Zion went from strength to strength and by 1855 the building was too small and it was decided to build a larger church. This new church was opened on 26-27 September 1858 at a cost of £1,500. As the membership increased it was necessary to build another chapel and it was decided to establish another church at Moriah. At this time 190 members were asked to leave and were released to form the new church.

A schoolroom was opened on 15 June 1874 at Zion and an organ was purchased for the church to use. At the same time the chapel was extended, a new gallery was built behind the pulpit for the choir. Following a difference of opinion of doctrine in 1880, about 70 members left Zion and formed a new church at Calfaria.

According to the Revd (Parchedig) Martin Williams, BScEcon, BD, the Minister (Gweinidog) in 2001, the church at Zion has received the ministry of eleven men during its history. Many of these were notable figures and renowned preachers of the gospel in Wales and abroad.

Four of the most notable who ministered at Zion were:

1838-1854 Revd James Spencer. Buried in the Box Cemetery

1855-1900 Revd John Rees Morgan DD (Lleurwg).

During his ministry membership of the church grew from 238 to 749

1900-1930 Revd E Talfryn Jones

1931-1957 Revd J Jubilee Young

Acknowledgements

Parchedig Martin Williams BScEcon, BD, Gweinidog Seion (Zion) and Parchedig Martin Williams BScEcon, BD, Gweinidog for suppling information on this chapel