Melin-y-Coed - BETHEL CHAPEL

History and photos of the Bethel chapel.

BETHEL CHAPEL, MELIN Y COED

The rain it raineth upon the just and the unjust.

Bethel chapel was built in 1827 following the success of the local Sunday school, which was started around 1793. In the early years the Sunday School was moved around until it was decided to raise a permanent home. From this decision came the idea of building a chapel, which opened its doors in July 1827. The chapel is part of the Llanrwst class in the eldership of Conway Valley.

For many years, the Sunday School in Melin-y-Coed was held in a succession of private homes.
The chapel is still in use today for worship and for Eisteddfodau (Festivals of music and verse).

At one time in living memory the Sunday School was held in Bryn Dyffryn. At another time, it was held in Ysgoldy.

150 Years of Bethel Chapel celebrated in 1977

FIRST MARRIAGE IN BETHEL CHAPEL IN 1932

Above: A Bible was awarded to the first couple to be married in the Chapel.
John and Louisa Davies (Bryniog) became that couple in 1932

FACES IN BETHEL CHAPEL

Above: The congregation at Bethel.

Above: 1797 Application for a House of Worship to be permitted at Ty Ucha.

Serving at Bethel Chapel since 1883 - Names of chapel elders and their dates of service..

1797 Handwritten Document regarding a place of worship.

Bethel Eisteddfod

The village of Melin y Coed is situated about a mile from the middle of the old market town of Llanrwst on the east side of the Conway Valley, and as the name indicates a mill is located here which once ground grain for local needs. There are also varied and beautiful woods in the area.

Very little of the eisteddfod's history has been recorded, but we can call on the memory of residents and relatives who would by now have been well past their century. They all testified that an eisteddfod had been held in the village for years before living memory, except for the war years.

Here R Davy Jones of Llanfairfechan began his career as accompanist, as well as his friend T J Williams of Maenan as a music judge. We have our TJD in Tom Davies, Bryniog, one brought up in the neighbourhood hurly burly of the village and who won the blue ribbon of the Dyffryn Lliw Eisteddfod.

In 1961 the late John Stoddart began his Eisteddfod career before becoming a professional singer on the world stage.

In 1961 it was held on New Year's Day, another time in April, and for years now on the first Saturday in October. We have in our possession the programme of the 1925 New Year's literary and musical meeting, as it was called at that time.

Another man, exceptionally likeable and influential on the musical works of the area, was called Uncle Johnny by everyone. He taught generations of children to read the tonic sol fa and to sing and play accompaniment on his hearth in Siop Ucha (Upper Shop) and in Bethel Chapel vestry. As singing precentor, leader of mixed (parffon), men and women.

During the past twenty years the competition for singing hymns became the means of strengthening the number of competitors as well as increasing the congregation. There was considerable debate on the worth of such a competiion, but by now it has positioned itself as one of the most popular Eisteddfod competitions including the National itself.

Until recently raising the stage was a yearly task, carrying trestles and planks and lifting a piano that weighed half a ton and more, often to great merriment, some lifting and others pulling back! At the end of the meeting in the evening it was necessary to pull everything out again and carry it back to its shed to rest, and that is where it stays, since it is now possible to move the organ and place a more proportionate and lighter piano in its place.

Dei Bryniog

The above is a translation of the following Welsh article which appeared on the BBC Lleol I Mi site.

Cefndir
Saif pentref Melin y Coed oddeutu milltir o ganol tref farchnad hynafol Llanrwst ar ochr ddwyreiniol Dyffryn Conwy, ac fel y mynega'r enw, y mae yma felin fu unwaith yn malu grawn ar gyfer anghenion lleol. Y mae yma hefyd goedlannau amryliw a phrydferth.

Ychydig iawn o hanes yr eisteddfod sy'n ysgrifenedig ond gallwn dynnu oddi ar gof trigolion a pherthnasau a fyddai bellach ymhell dros eu canmlwydd. Tystiai pob un ohonynt fod eisteddfod wedi ei chynnal yn y pentref yn flynyddol ers cyn cof, ar wahân i flynyddoedd y rhyfel.

Yma y cychwynnodd R Davy Jones, Llanfairfechan ei yrfa fel cyfeilydd yn ogystal a'i gyfaill T J Williams, Maenan fel beirniad cerddorol. Y mae gennym ninnau ein T J D yn Tom Davies, Bryniog, un a fagwyd ym mwrlwm cymdeithasol y pentref ac enillydd rhuban glas Eisteddfod Dyffryn Lliw.

Yn 1961 cychwynnodd y ddiweddar John Stoddart ar ei rawd eisteddfodol cyn troi yn ganwr proffesiynol ar lwyfannau'r byd.

Yn 1961 fe'i cynhaliwyd ar ddydd Calan, bu hefyd ym mis Ebrill ac ers blynyddoedd bellach ar ddydd Sadwm cyntaf mis Hydref. Y mae yn ein meddiant raglen o gyfarfod llenyddol a cherddorol Calan 1925 fel y gelwid hi y pryd hwnnw.

Bu yma ŵr arall hynod hoffus a dylanwadol ar weithgareddau cerddorol yr ardal, Yncl Johnnie i bawb. Dysgodd genedlaethau o blant i ddarllen y tonic sol ffa ac i ganu a chyfeilio ar ei aelwyd yn Siop Ucha ac yn festri Capel Bethel. Yn godwr canu, yn arweinydd parffon cymysg, meibion a merched.

Yn ystod yr ugain mlynedd olaf daeth cystadleuaeth canu emyn yn foddion i gryfhau nifer y cystadleuwyr yn ogystal a chynyddu'r gynulleidfa. Bu cryn feirniadu ar werth cystadleuaeth o'r fath, ond bellach sefydlodd ei hun ymhlith un o gystadlaethau mwyaf poblogaidd yr eisteddfod - gan gynnwys y genedlaethol ei hun.

Hyd yn ddiweddar bu codi Ilwyfan yn orchwyl flynyddol, cario treselau a phlanciau a chodi piano a bwysai hanner tunnell a mwy i'w phen er mawr hwyl yn aml, rhai yn codi - a rhai yn dal yn erbyn! Ar ddiwedd cyfarfod yr hwyr rhaid fyddai tynnu'r cwbwl a'i chario'n ôl i'w chwt i orffwys, ac yno y mae gan fod modd bellach symud yr organ a gosod piano cymesur ac ysgafnach na'r hen yn ei lle.

Dei Bryniog