Victoria Road

The Cambrian 1838       Llanelly Guardian 1874

The original Wesleyan Chapel on this site was built in 1837-1838 and the foundation stone was laid by Revd James Buckley in March 1838 (the year before he died) and it served both English and Welsh speaking members.

In the early days a group of faithful members gathered in a meeting house in Marine Street to worship. After a little while they decided it would be a good idea to have their own purpose-built place of worship.

The current Methodist Chapel for English-speaking members is thought to have been established around 1864, but a newspaper report in the Cambrian suggests that it was built  in 1838.

The house in Marine Street where the services were held had become too small so plans were made to build a new chapel which accommodated both English and Welsh members. When the new Hall Street Wesleyan Church was built, the English speaking members moved in and the Welsh speaking members moved into the Wind Street Chapel and called it Jerusalem.

In 2002 one of the older members of the congregation said that he thought that chapel was originally a mission for sailors and people of Seaside. Seasiders have always been proud of their heritage and many consider that they are not part of Llanelli but they belong to Seaside.

The first quarterly meeting of Victoria Road Methodist Chapel was held in 1884 and members of the congregation have always been proud of their beautiful little chapel. Over the years, and after a decline in the numbers attending services, the chapel fell into disrepair and there was said to be a large hole in the centre of the floor.

In 1952 new buildings were added at the rear of the chapel and the chapel was renovated.

Uncomfortable pews have been replaced by wooden chairs, including some upholstered ones. At Christmas time the arched windows are lit up and the homely chapel is filled to capacity.

A photograph taken on 5 April 1952, following the renovations, has the following inscription on the back:

"Presented by Mr G Tresgar Humphrey BSc, on the occasion of the completion of the new Vestry and the renovation of the Chapel in memory of his father the Reverend E Ivor Humphrey BA, BDm, late Superintendent of the Llanelli and Carmarthen Circuit."

The Cambrian 14 July 1838

Sermons connected with the opening of a new Wesley Chapel at the port of Llanelly were preached on Sunday last, by the Reverend Dr Bunting and James Buckley, in English and the Reverend J Jenkins of Swansea, in the Welsh language. The increasing population at the port, together with the frequent resort of seamen thither, presented a call for enlarged exertion on the part of the Wesleyans on behalf of the best interests of the inhabitants and that hitherto much neglected class of men.

A former building appropriated for preaching had become too small to contain or invite all who might be disposed to attend a place more eligibly circumstanced, and public benevolence was therefore applicable in order to provide one that should be in every way more suitable.

The foundation stone was laid in March last by the Reverend James Buckley, and the building was set apart for its interesting purposes on Sunday last. It is comfortably and neatly fitted up, and provision has been made in its design for the addition to it of a school whenever circumstances shall render this practicable. It presents a good front to the sea, bearing the inscription of the date of its erection, and surmounted by a flag-staff, from which the Bethel flag is weekly to announce its sacred services. There we trust that the increasing English population of the worship will find it to be a House of God, and that seamen will especially be induced to come and hear the words, the recollection of which may cheer and benefit them in their pathless wanderings.

The services of the day as above stated were kindly undertaken by the Reverend Bunting in the morning and the Reverend James Buckley in the evening. Dr Bunting preached at half-past six at the Wesleyan chapel [Note: This was Jerusalem, the Welsh-speaking Wesleyan Chapel in Wind Street] in town, and again on Monday evening at this port. It is hardly necessary to add that the services were interesting and highly profitable.

The collections, in addition to the previous liberal subscriptions, amounted to £171 10s. 10d.

The congregations were large and respectable, and the visit of the Reverend Dr Bunting was highly gratifying to the numerous individuals who composed them, by whom the recent ministrations of that eminent servant of God we trust will not soon be forgotten.

Llanelly Guardian Thursday January 29 1874

OPENING OF A WESLEYAN CHAPEL

VICTORIA ROAD, SEASIDE

On Tuesday last the 27th inst., this chapel was opened for public worship when excellent sermons were preached at 3 and 7 o’clock pm by the Reverend E. J. Robinson of Swansea, Chairman of Swansea and District. There was a good congregation in the afternoon and in the evening the chapel was crowded to excess.

Collections were made at the close of each service, which came to £2. 16s 10d. There was also a tea meeting held in the Old Schoolroom at 5 o’clock, which was well attended. The chapel is in the Italian style of architecture. The Architect is Mr John Wills of Kingsbridge, South Devon and Hull, who reproduced a design that has been adopted in various parts of the country, it being No 1 on Mr Wills descriptive circular of Model Chapels.

The chapel is built of local stone and is to be pointed in cement. The front is relieved by an external porch for semicircular windows and when completed will have pilasters at the quoins and a cornice and gable with medallions &c. The side windows are also semicircular and will be finished with cement, architraves so adapted by the Architect as to efficiently prevent rain or damp going to the interior. The building is further made secure against damp by the insertion of a “damp course” immediately above the foundation. The interior is filled with seats of a modern construction, backs low, reclining. The rostrum is light, open and neat. The roof is almost wholly open and is filled in between the several sets of profiles with a couple of semicircular arches, which rest on columns having capitals and bases these again resting on the beams. The whole of the inside works is stained and varnished.

The contractor is Mr Thomas Hughes of Prospect Place. The opening services of the chapel will be continued on Sunday next when the Reverend William Nicholson at the Mumbles will preach at half-past ten and half-past six o’clock. The Reverend Thomas Davies Siloah has kindly consented to preach a Welsh sermon on the same day in connection with the opening services at 3 o’clock in the afternoon in the Wesleyan Chapel Hall Street, Llanelly.