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Chapels, Churches & Religion
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this is about Religion in Llanelli, its growth from earliest times and information on the various Churches and Chapels that sprang up over the years. Number of pages: 215 Contents: Holy Wells The Age of Saints Saints and Pilgrims Deanery of Kidwelly in the Diocese of St David’s Parish Priests, Endowments Tithes &c Monuments Churchyard 1817 Ancient Church Registers Marriage Ceremonies performed by Theophilus Davies Marriage Ceremonies performed by Jeremiah Davies Marriage Ceremonies performed by Ebenezer Morris Benefactors Other Ancient Churches in the Deanery of Kidwelly St David’s, Llwynhendy St Illtyd’s, Pembrey St Gwynog’s, Llangennech Memorials David Evans Richard Janion Nevill Edmund Morewood Other Churches in the Deanery of Kidwelly All Saints Church St Albans St Barnabas Christchurch St John’s St John’s Church – Pontyberem St Michael’s and All Angels St Paul’s St Peter’s St David’s Furnace Mission Church Graiglwyd Mission – Porthdafen Holy Trinity Holy Trinity, Pwll Nonconformity Chronology Local Nonconformist Chapels & Churches Baptist – Welsh Adulam Bethania Bethel Caersalem Penuel, Penyfan Calfaria Capel Seion (Zion) Moriah Maescanner – Dafen Soar, Llwynhendy Tabernacle, Llwynhendy Saron, Llwynhendy Bethlehem – Pwll Salem, Pwll Baptist – English Greenfield Beulah, Wern Emmanuel, New Dock Independent – Welsh Capel Als Berea, Bynea Dock Chapel, Morfa Ebenezer Lloyd Street Libanus, Pwll Saron, Furnace Siloah, Glanmor Road, Seaside Soar, Marsh Street Tabernacle, Coleshill Terrace Independent – English Park Church Park United Reformed Church Methodism Calvinistic Methodists – Welsh Gelli Onn Glenalla, Glenalla Road Capel Newydd, Mount Pleasant Siloh, Lakefield Road Trinity, New Dock Road Nazareth, Llwynhendy Calvinistic Methodists – English Presbyterian, Cowell Street Wesleyan Methodists John Wesley Preaching John Wesley’s Visits Hall Street Church Victoria Road Methodist Chapel Wesleyan Chapel, Campbell Street, New Dock Other Denominations Christadelphians Meeting Room, Gas Building, Murray Street Roman Catholic Churches Jewish Synagogue Cemeteries Box Cemetery St Paul’s Lawn Cemetery The Salvation Army Religious Activity Extract Llanelli Parish ChurchThe pulpit was a very elaborate piece of church furniture. On the lower level a clerk would respond to the offices by saying the ‘Amens’ because very few of the parishioners were able to read or write. The second tier was for the use of the curate and the third was for the use of the vicar. Family pews were situated between the pulpit to half way down the nave on both sides and were only used by members of the named family. The open space between the pews and the tower was for the use of parishioners who would have to stand throughout the service. There was also a handrail on either side of the nave wall, between the pews and the tower. During the sermon the parishioners were permitted to rest their backs against the handrail which led to the expression ‘I was so tired my back was to the wall’. served the Parish from 1820 to 1867, an incumbency of 47 years. During his time as vicar he was involved in various altercations, including a dispute with William Chambers about proposals to widen the road near the church. Morris was a man of great physical strength and was said to be ‘a fighting parson’. In 1832, when he assaulted William Chambers over their dispute, he was fined Ł20 and bound over for two years to keep the peace. He also had many disputes with the Nonconformists, and one occurred in 1838 when the Llanelly vestry elected John James as churchwarden.The newly elected John James belonged to the congregation of David Rees, who had taken his first pastorate at Capel Als Independent Church in 1829. Morris, had John James prosecuted in the Ecclesiastical Court for neglecting his duties and refusing to provide the wine necessary to administer the sacrament. When the churchwarden persistently refused to pay the costs of the action he was imprisoned. Regardless of his failings Morris was an energetic fundraiser and helped to raise money for various projects. In a letter signed in 1845 he emphasized the deplorable state of the church, and asked for subscriptions to remedy the situation. When the restored church was opened by the Lord Bishop of St David’s there was much ceremony and celebration. A tablet near the present main door, under the tower, records the event. Within the tower, which dates back to the 12th century, there are three floors: the Bellringers’ floor; the Clock floor, and the Belfry. There are eight bells in the tower and cast into six of the bells is the name of Reverend Ebenezer Morris, together with the name of the vicar’s Warden, T Samuel. A spiral staircase of 100 steps, built during Norman times, leads to the top of Llanelli’s oldest building and to see the view is well worth the effort of the climb. Until 1905 the Chancel had seating for farmers who were allowed to bring their dogs to sit alongside them during the service. There was a dog rail altar rail that was made to prevent farm dogs from fouling the Sanctuary. It was built with many carved rods that extended from the floor at regular intervals to the communion rail, close enough to prevent a dog entering the Sanctuary.
Revd Ebenezer Morris
Grave of Ebenezer Morris |
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