By Karl-James Langford

THE SAD changing times in Barry have seen church and chapel after church and chapel closing in the Barry and District. With many being demolished and lost forever such as the Bethesda chapel in High Street which closed around 1972, to be used by Hypervalue then eventually demolished.

But, some of these places of worship in more recent times have been sold off and converted into housing. And if you asked me: 'Karl-James Langford, which is the finest Welsh language chapel inside and out?' it has to be the Holton Road Tabernacle!

This week we turn to a building opposite the Barry Town Hall (which we featured a few weeks ago). The building being the Tabernacle Welsh Congregational Chapel is our feature this week, with the photo supplied by my intrepid photographer Kate Phillips.

We mentioned at the start of this piece Bethesda in High Street, where two stain glass windows were rehoused at Tabernacle, before the former's demolition. Sadly, the Tabernacle at Holton Road is no longer the place of worship, and discussions are a foot for its future. Hopefully much of its original artefacts can be saved to whatever use the building becomes.

For the original history of Tabernacle, we turn to a clear link with Dan Evans; of course, a father of the stores in Barry and Penarth of that name; established in 1905. Dan Evans was the son of the Tabernacle; one of the earliest, (in 1899) Ministers Ben Evans. The pulpit at Tabernacle can be said to be one of the finest in the Barry and District carved by an original member; a certain John Phillips of the chapels congregation. Fine grapevine leaves and grapes dominate this piece of woodworking.

So too internally there is a first floor which was used by the younger congregation back in the day while their parents listened to the word of the Lord, and yes in 'Iaith Cymraeg', at one time both floors were full of church goers. It was such a very busy chapel that at one stage it had six organists, and it is fitting to say that the family of Dan Evans offered us one of its last organists Alcwyn Evans (junior). The original organ was a substantial investment, and fundraising mainly by Dan Evans paid off to offer us the organ that is still at the Tabernacle, after all this time. On the official opening Caradog Roberts a famous musician came to play the organ.

The box pews were full every Sunday with enlightening celebrations at Christmas and other religious holidays. But alas congregations declined and it was decided that a smaller premises be used to celebrate the word of the Lord in the new century.

There had once been seven Welsh language chapels in the Barry and District. The Tabernacle had first been opened on 20th April 1890, and built as a temporary corrugated-iron structure at the original cost of some £380, only to be replaced in stone and opened in 1894, for the sum of £2,100. It was designed by architects Seward and Thomas of Cardiff and classified as Sub-Classical.

In short the population of Barry not only in the English language, but for here at Tabernacle in Welsh were turning to the Lord, and at one stage the Barry and District had 30 chapels and churches. The Tabernacle congregation grew beyond 400, and more room was needed, with extensions to the rear; this included a Sunday school.

The building will survive however. The Tabernacle has stood since 1894 and closed in late December 2019, and now belongs to Acapela Studios, and may echo to music once again.

Kindest thoughts to our history of the Barry and District.