Tuesday, February 17, 2009

More of Llantrisant - the other old chapels

This is the Old High Meeting (Independent). Dating back to the early years of the nineteenth century, it is now the Church Hall for the Parish Church (which is just out of shot behind the house corner on the left). It has been in the possession of the Anglicans for many decades now, but it was built as a congregational chapel. Internally no trace of its former function survives, but its little burial ground survives, now merged with that of the Parish Church.





The Old High Meeting was replaced by Zoar, this rather elegant striped building that dominates the approach to Llantrisant. Sadly it is no longer used for worship and has been converted into flats. It is built on the site of the home of the eccentric Dr. William Price, a 'free-thinker' and self-proclaimed druid who called his son 'Iesu Chryst' (Jesus Christ). After Dr. Price' death the Congregationalists bought his house, pulled it down, and built a chapel where the real Jesus Christ was worshipped for many years.


The former Trinity English Presbyterian Church in the High Street is now a house. It was originally established as the English congregation connected with Penuel Presbyterian Chapel. The Trinity congregation merged with Penuel before Penuel too closed. The building was occupied for a while by a Pentecostal congregation.

3 comments:

Hiraeth said...

Price also declared that he was several thousand years old, and, when his son 'Iesu Grist' died, cremated him, which was then against the law. He is viewed as a pioneer of cremation. A less easy-going age would have had him certified.

Highland Host said...

Cremated the lad's body atop a mountain on a funeral pyre 'With huge heroic flames of fire', indeed. Yes, I think if he hadn't been quite wealthy, or if a relative had wanted his money, he would have been certified.

nun ya said...

Thank you for keeping up this blog. I enjoy the pictures of the old churches and meeting houses.