The first chapel to be built on Wind Street was opened in 1881, having been founded by members of Seion church in Betws who had been eager to build a chapel in a convenient location for the quickly expanding village of Cross Inn, as Ammanford was known at the time. The adoption of the English form of 'Bethany' for a Welsh chapel reflects the intention to provide for the spiritual needs of the increasing number of English-speakers moving into the area to work in the expanding local industries. The hymn writer and chaired bard, the Rev. J. T. Job (1867-1938) was bought up attending Bethany, but never became minister here. In 1900 the Rev. W. Nantlais Williams (1967-1938) became minister, a post he would hold throughout the revival, of which he was of great local importance. Nantlais, during his time at Bethany became renowned as a hymn writer, editor of Tryfoda'r Plant and poet, but refrained from completing in the Eisteddfodau.

As a result of the 1904-5 revival, the congregation continued to increasingly grow over the coming decades and, after a decade of planning and fundraising in a time of depression, a new vestry was opened in 1927 and then in October 1929 the new chapel was formally opened. The architect of the new Classically styled chapel was J. Owen Parry, a member of the chapel, and built by William Evans of Ammanford, who also built Gwynfryn. The facade is of the Classical style, constructed of stone with ashlar detail, pilasters around the entrance, a mix of flat and round headed windows, which all rise towards a pediment that houses an ocular window. The interior is simple in design, with oak woodwork, panelled three-sided gallery, iron gallery columns and a organ built by Conacher of Huddersfield. The rebuild provided seating for 850 members in the chapel and a further 300 in the vestry; the rebuild amounted to £12,000.

Ross Cook, RCAHMW. May 2013.


Bethany Chapel was first built in 1881, then a new vestry aded in 1927 and the chapel rebuilt in 1929. The present chapel, dated 1929, was built in the Classical style of the gable entry type, to the design of John Owen Parry of Ammanford.

RCAHMW, August 2009