Bethel Baptist Church
Penyrheol
Our History
Bethel started as a plant from Mt Carmel Baptist Church, which is situated in the centre of Caerphilly and was founded in 1874. This followed the establishment of other plants in Bedwas and Llanbradach in 1901.
Mention of starting a work in the Penyrheol area started in 1902 when there were a few members of Mt Carmel who lived in Penyrheol and who occasionally met in one of their houses.
In 1911 a Band of Hope was started in the house of Mrs Saunders and this led to a Sunday school being started at the Hendre Council School. In 1912 Mr Phillip Davies was appointed as the first superintendent of the Sunday school, which had an average attendance of 50 children.
Open air services were then started in the area and as a result of these two successful ventures Mount Carmel decided to build a Mission Hall in Penyrheol. This was built on land rented from the Tredegar Estate and cost about £300. It was opened in 1914 by Mr George Hill.
Mr R H Balsom was appointed as Superintendent of the fledgling church and its early activities included:
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The Sunday school, which had an average attendance of 100 children.
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Evening Services, which were well attended, despite only eight members actually residing in Penyrheol. Some of the young people from Mt Carmel came to help.
By 1922, after much hard work, the members succeeded in paying off the cost of the Church and furnishings as well as meeting all current expenses, showing that this new work in Penyrheol was proving to be a successful plant.
The Sunday school continued to thrive, with average attendances of 100 children, and a number of young people were also baptised.
It was decided that the size of the building was inadequate for the work being undertaken and so:
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In 1927 the freehold of the land was purchased for £111, to allow building extension work to be undertaken
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In 1932 an extension to the church was completed at a cost of £170. The money was raised through gifts and efforts of the congregation.
By 1950 the Penyrheol area was expanding with the new Council Estate and in 1953 it was felt by the members and deacons that the church was able to ‘stand on its own two feet’ as a Baptist Church in its own right, rather than as a mission linked to Mt Carmel. Rules of membership were drawn up, the building was registered for weddings and the English Baptist Mission became Bethel Baptist Church, with an initial membership of about 42.
Over the next 50 years:
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In 1954:
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The baptistry was added
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The Sunday School Hall was added to the rear of the building
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The certificate for solemnisation of marriages was obtained
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A Christian Endeavour Group was formed and ran until 1969
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A Boys Brigade was formed and ran until 1969
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A Girls Brigade was formed in the 1970’s and run until the late 1990’s
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In 1990 the church was renovated with new cladding, new windows, chairs instead of pews and new carpet.
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In 1998, following the purchase of various plots of council land and several years of hard work by members of the congregation a new car park was opened on the south side of the building
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In 2005, a new extension on the north side of the church was opened. This provided a new entrance, much needed new toilets, accessible access and two new rooms.
Bethel has been providing a vital Christian presence in the Penyrheol area for over 100 years now. The size and nature of the fellowship and the building have changed significantly over the years but God’s plans for it are far from finished.