Maesyronnen chapel is the oldest non-conformist chapel in its original form in Wales today, and it will be opening its doors to all as part of Cadw’s ‘Open Doors’ scheme.
The free entry event will take place on Saturday, September 16, and Sunday, September 17, from 10am to 4pm, with locals and tourists alike invited to enjoy an opportunity to see this Grade I listed building near Glasbury-on-Wye, Powys, to learn about the importance of the chapel to the history of non-conformism, and to hear about what is happening today.
Dating from 1697, the current building provided a permanent home to those non-conformists who wanted something different to the established church, and who had met in secret in the area over the previous 50 years or so.
It’s also the chapel’s annual Harvest Festival celebrations, so it will be decorated appropriately with a mini flower festival and a collection for Brecon Food Bank.
A Harvest Service will be held at 10:30am on Sunday morning led by Rev Ifor Williams, a retired rural chaplain and experienced dairy farm worker.
The event is all part of ‘Open Doors’, an annual festival in celebration of Wales’s rich heritage and culture.
Organised and funded by Cadw, the annual and ever-popular Wales-wide event will see hundreds of historic sites, iconic buildings, landmarks and unusual premises offer free entry, activities and events to visitors throughout the month of September.
The chapel’s treasurer and event organiser Mike Ricketts Hein said: “It’s a thrill for us to open the chapel to the public and to show them that, after over 325 years, we’re still an active church, able to celebrate its history as well as its future.
“I really enjoy sharing our story with visitors, and we look forward to welcoming people from across Wales and beyond over the weekend”.
This event does not require booking and the chapel is wheelchair friendly. Parking, light refreshments and toilets available. Website https://www.beacons.wales/1maesyronnen/index.php , Facebook - Capel Maesyronnen Chapel.