Welsh Church of Central London

Last updated

The Welsh Church of Central London
The Welsh Church of Central London
The Welsh Baptist Chapel
Eglwys Gymraeg Canol Llundain
Welsh Church of Central London.JPG
Welsh Church of Central London
Denomination Baptist
Website www.egcll.org
History
Statusactive
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated1987
Architect(s) Owen Lewis
Years built1888
Completed1889

The Welsh Church of Central London (Welsh: Eglwys Gymraeg Canol Llundain, EGCLL), also known as The Welsh Baptist Chapel is a Welsh Baptist church in Eastcastle Street, in the City of Westminster, London, England. [1] The church building is a grade II listed building with Historic England on the National Heritage List for England. [2] It currently performs Baptist services bilingually in English and in Welsh as well as hosting concerts following a merger of the Welsh Baptist church with two nearby Independent churches in 2006.

Contents

History

In the 1880s, a large number of Welsh people came to London to work. As the Welsh population rose, churches were set up to minister to them. [3] In 1888, the Welsh Church of Central London, then the Welsh Baptist Chapel, was constructed as a place where Welsh Baptists could worship in services in the Welsh language in London. When it was first opened, it was described in the Baptist Magazine as a "church of a most aggressive character, doing a grand work amongst young people". [4] Quickly it was determined that the original building was too small to accommodate the number of those who wished to worship in the chapel. Later in the year, Owen Lewis expanded the building into its more recognisable shape. [5] Lewis' designs for the church were praised, with a mention in the national Baptist magazine stating "it is an edifice worthy of a West-End reputation". [6] The praise continued into modern times with the London Guide calling it a "highly imaginative Welsh Baptist chapel". [7] Future Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Lloyd George was a regular attendee of the church [5] and his daughter Olwen Lloyd George was married there in 1917. [8]

Following the Second World War, there was a decline in Welsh speakers coming to reside in London, while changing social attitudes and the rise of mass popular culture and mass media led to a decline in the usage of the Welsh language in the London Welsh community. The Welsh Church of Central London is one of only seven Welsh chapels in London that continue to perform services in Welsh and minister to the London Welsh communities. [8] In 2006, the Welsh Baptist Church merged with two independent churches from King's Cross and Radnor Walk to form the unified "Eglwys Gymraeg Canol Llundain". [1] The Welsh Church of Central London has also been used to host musical concerts as well as Baptist services. [9]

Fixtures

The church was built with a red brick Eclectic Classical façade. On the front of the church, there is inscribed in Welsh CAPEL BEDYDDWYR CYMREIG (Welsh Baptist Chapel). [2] The church has two staircases leading into the nave of the church with iron supported galleries around three sides of the interior. [6] Above the central eastern pulpit, retained from before Lewis' renovations, [6] is the church's organ. When it was installed in the church, the ceiling above it had to be cut away to allow for the installation and heightening of the organ pipes. [5] The Welsh Church of Central London building was granted grade II listed status by English Heritage in 1987. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llwynhendy</span> Village in Carmarthenshire, Wales

Llwynhendy, is a village and ward near the town of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The ward, which includes the village, as well as Cefncaeau, parts of Cwmcarnhywel and parts of Bryn and Penceilogi, had a population of 4,276.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pen-y-cae, Wrexham</span> Village in Wales

Pen-y-cae is a village and community in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. The population of the community taken at the 2011 census was 3,389. It adjoins the larger village of Rhosllanerchrugog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llanllyfni</span> Human settlement in Wales

Llanllyfni is a village and a community in Gwynedd, Wales. It is in the historic county of Caernarfonshire. The community consists of the villages of Drws-y-coed, Nantlle, Nasareth, Nebo, Penygroes, Talysarn and the village of Llanllyfni itself. Penygroes, Llanllyfni and Talysarn are almost conjoined. As an electoral ward the 2011 census recorded a population of 1256. It is a largely Welsh-speaking village as 85% of the villagers speak Welsh as their first language. The community covers 43 square kilometres.

The London Welsh School is a Welsh medium primary school in London, England. Welsh is the language predominantly used for all classes and activities. The school offers a bilingual education to children aged four to 11. The school also has a pre-school class for three and four-year-old children, and a baby and toddler group called Miri Mawr that meets on Monday mornings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church Village</span> Village in Rhonda Cynon Taf, Wales

Church Village is a large village in the historic parish and community of Llantwit Fardre, located within the Taff Ely district of the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales. The village is centrally located being around 4 miles (6.4 km) from the local principal towns of Llantrisant to the southwest and Pontypridd to the north and is situated approximately 8 miles northwest of Cardiff city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canolfan Soar</span> Grade II-listed community facility in Wales

Canolfan Soar is a Grade II-listed community facility in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, that includes a theatre and other facilities. It was converted from the closed Grade II-listed, eighteenth-century, Zoar Chapel in the first decade of the twenty-first century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calfaria Chapel, Aberdare</span> Former chapel in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Calfaria Baptist Chapel, Aberdare, was one of the largest baptist churches in the South Wales Valleys and the oldest in the Aberdare valley. The chapel had an ornate interior, including a boarded ceiling with a deeply undercut rose, while the balcony balustrading had a cast iron front with an intricate foliage design. These features were common in the Welsh chapels of the late nineteenth century. The organ was installed in 1903 at a cost of £850. It was played for the last time in 2012 by Robert Nicholls, during a Radio Cymru broadcast shortly before the closure of the chapel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewin Welsh Presbyterian Chapel</span> Church in City of London, United Kingdom

The Jewin Welsh Presbyterian Chapel is a Presbyterian Church of Wales church in Finsbury, London, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noddfa Chapel, Treorchy</span> Former chapel in Treorchy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Noddfa or Noddfa Welsh Baptist Chapel, was located in Treorchy in the Rhondda Valley. It was one of the largest Baptist churches in the South Wales valleys, and one of the largest and grandest of all Welsh chapels.

Heolyfelin Chapel, Trecynon, Aberdare was a Welsh Baptist chapel established in 1855. Services were held in the Welsh language. The building seated 800. By December 2015 the chapel had closed and was for sale.

Gwawr, Aberaman was a Baptist chapel in Regent Street, Aberaman, near Aberdare, South Wales, formed as a branch of Calfaria, Aberdare

Seion, Cwmaman is a Welsh Baptist church, originally established in 1859. The chapel closed in 2013 but the church still meets at another location in the village.

Jerusalem, Penrhiwceiber was a Baptist chapel in Penrhiwceiber, Glamorgan, Wales. Services at Jerusalem were conducted in the Welsh language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bethesda Chapel, Abercwmboi</span> Chapel in Abercwmboi, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

Bethesda, Abercwmboi is a Welsh Baptist church in Abercwmboi near Aberdare, South Wales. Services continue to be held in the Welsh language.

D. Jacob Davies was a Welsh Unitarian minister who became a prominent figure within Welsh public life and within his denomination in Wales and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gellionnen Chapel</span> Unitarian place of worship near Pontardawe, South Wales, United Kingdom

Gellionnen Chapel is a Unitarian place of worship near Pontardawe, South Wales, United Kingdom. The chapel was first built in 1692 by Protestant dissenters, becoming Unitarian in the late 18th century. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella body for British Unitarians. Gellionnen Chapel is the oldest Dissenting chapel in the Swansea Valley, is one of the oldest surviving chapels in the region and is a Grade II* listed building.

Bethania, Cwmbach was a Baptist Chapel at Cwmbach in the Aberdare Valley in Wales. Badly damaged by an air raid attack in 1941 it was subsequently restored but closed in the 1980s. Services were held in the Welsh language.

Rhos, Mountain Ash was a Baptist chapel in Mountain Ash, Glamorgan, Wales. Services at Rhos were conducted in the Welsh language.

Soar, Llwydcoed was a Baptist Chapel in Kingsbury Place, Llwydcoed, Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales. Services at Soar were held in the Welsh language.

Saron is a Baptist chapel in the village of Saron in the community of Llandybie, Ammanford, Carmarthenshire. Services at Saron are conducted in the Welsh language.

References

  1. 1 2 "Eglwys Gymraeg Canol Llundain". EGCLL. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Historic England. "The Welsh Baptist Chapel (1211009)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  3. ↑ "Capel Bedyddwyr Cymreig". Urban75.org. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Jones, Emrys (2001). The Welsh in London, 1500–2000. University of Wales PRess. p. 167. ISBN   0708316972.
  5. 1 2 3 Hibbert, Christopher (2010). The London Encyclopaedia. Pan MacMillan. p. 129. ISBN   978-1405049252.
  6. 1 2 3 Phillip Davies (29 October 2012). "London's hidden architecture – in pictures". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  7. ↑ The London Guide. Nicholson. 1991. p. 77. ISBN   0702812846.
  8. 1 2 Sisk, Emma (22 November 2014). "Broadcaster Huw Edwards explores the history of London's Welsh chapels in his new book". Wales Online. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Morgan, Sion (11 March 2015). "Meet the South Americans competing for a place at this year's National Urdd Eisteddfod – by performing using webcams". Wales Online. Retrieved 12 April 2016.

51°31′00″N0°08′19″W / 51.5167°N 0.1386°W / 51.5167; -0.1386

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.