The first Baptist chapel at Bwlch-y-Sarnau was founded and opened for public worship in May 1829, though the Baptist Witness in the area had started under the auspices of Vavasour Powell who had preached at Hendy and Brondrefawr farmhouse sin the later 17th century. On one visit to Brondrefawr, Powell got word that Loyalist forces were in the areas seeking his arrest and he left his mobile pulpit at the farmhouse, an object which is now held within the current chapel.
In 1770 John Willimas and his sister, Mary, came to live at Pantglas from Dolau, Nantmel, and, due to his hospitality to visiting Baptist ministers, became known as the ‘Bishop of Pantglas’. The Baptists of Bwlch y Sarnau would walk to worship at Dolau Chapel, Nantmel, until the founding of Nantgwyn Chapel in 1792. In 1801 a Stephen Pugh was baptised at Nantgwyn, preaching regularly in the area and living at Brondrefawr Farm from 1817. In 1821 he became an ordained minister at Nantgwyn, but continued to preach in the farmhouses of Bwlch-y-Sarnau. The increase in numbers attending these services, together with records of several baptisms in a stream near the Hendy in 1826 and 1827 led to the need for a chapel.
A site for building the chapel was obtained from one of the Deacons, Josiah Pugh, The Bog, and building started in May 1823. This was a simple long-wall chapel described as ‘built of stone and mortar, with a slate roof, obolong in designs, built with the natural contour of the ground from east to west, with two doors in the south facing wall, one entering by the pulpit on the lower elevation, and the other at the back at the raised elevation. The stone for the building was all raised locally, and the floor was of dried clay. The building had not form of heating and in the earliest years, the only lighting was from tallow candles, made on local farms’. An example of the construction can still be seen in the chapel stable, on the road near the village school, and with a mounting block built into the adjoining wall.
The chapel opened on 21st May 1829, with many reported to have joined the congregation in the interim. The total cost was reported as less than £100, with labour provided locally. The 1851 Religious Census record the capacity as 'Free' 150 and 'Standing' 150. From 1859 the Rev David Davies was minister at Bwlchysarnau, Nantgwyn, and Beulah, Garthfawr.
In 1870 a single classroom school was opened.
In 1886 Bwlchysarnau severed it’s connection with Nantgwyn and Beulah, joining with the newly built chapel at Cefnpole, Rev Berwyn Davies ministering to both until 1891, replaced in 1892 by Rev D S Evans. In 1984 a manse was built on land bequeathed by Mary Williams (sister of John).
With an increasing congregation, the decision was made that a larger chapel was required. In 1900 the former minister, Rev Evans, formed a committee to launch a building fund. Work started almost immediately to demolish the old chapel and a firm of builders from Llanelli were engaged to build a new one. On August 15th 1900, a service was held to lay two commemorative stones into the foundations; one by Frank Edwards Esq. a notable gentleman from south Wales, and the other by D A Thomas Esq. MP from Knighton. Each was presented with an inscribed silver trowel, that of D A Thomas now also on display in the chapel.
The new chapel was constructed of stone in the Arts & Crafts/Perpendicular style and built in the shape of a cross, the main body running north-south with the pulpit placed at the north end. The east ‘arm’ formed a small extension, while the west ‘arm’ forms the vestry. The box channel ceiling was designed specifically to provide good acoustic effect to the chapel. Donations were being gathered across mid-Wales: the cost of the new chapel was £1,000 including the fixed seating and the amount collected for the Building Fund was £1,060 8 3½. It opened for worship in June 1901 and during the 1904-05 Revival more were added to the congregations. The 1905 RCCEORBWM records the seating capacity as being 400.
In 1945 the connection with Cefn-pole was severed, but in 1972 the chapel grouped with Rock Chapel.
In January 2026, the chapel was still in use.
RCAHMW, January 2026
Information from 'Bwlchysarnau Baptist Church: TER-JUBILEE 1829 1979 One Hundred and Fifty Years of Baptist Witness' W E Manuel 1979