
RESTORATIONS
As might well be expected, our Parish Church has experienced many vicissitudes down the ages, and even during the last 87 years there have been no less than three Restorations.
In 1859 the building was virtually in ruins and there was a movement a foot for its demolition, and the erection of a Church for the Welsh speaking Parishioners on the site. Happily wiser counsels prevailed, and the reverend Evan Lewis (afterwards Dean of Bangor) raised a sum of £900 for the necessary repairs.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners records show that the East window was round headed in 1857, and it is much be regretted that the design of the windows generally is afterwards changed. The present windows are all modern, and not such as we should expect to find here.
A few years later, the Building was again in a ruinous state owing to coal, mining operations, and few services had been held in it for some time previous to 1871, when further Restoration was -carried out, as appears on the tablet, on the South wall.
In 1915 further repairs and improvements became necessary, and involved an expenditure of over £500.The vestry was partially rebuilt and it was wholly re-roofed. A heating chamber was erected and a modern apparatus - the gift of Mr. F. W. Mander - installed. A part of the main roof “had collapsed and was made good”. The outer walls were cement pointed throughout and rain water troughs and pipes erected.
The removal of an unsightly piece of masonry just above the West door disclosed an unsuspected built-in little lancet window space, covered on the inner side by a plastered brick wall. This was taken down and its disappearance accounts for the bare interior West wall. The many square holes found in it (and now filled up) furnished clear proof that there was once a gallery at that end of the building, and this was since been confirmed by some of the oldest parishioners at the time.
The Church had been rendered very dark by reason of all the windows having been filled in with dark lined glass, and no service had been held for many years without the use of artificial light. In 1939 the bold step is taken of replacing with semi-transparent glass much the dark glass surrounding the figures, with the result at the natural light has been increased fourfold, and the windows also are much improved in appearance.
Electric light was installed in 1933.
THE CHURCHYARD.
This was closed by an Order in Council dated 10th June, 1964, and all the graves are now full, hence no further burials are be expected. The last was in the Scale vault in 1939. The earliest date yet discovered on a grave stone is 1615. The graveyard was further altered in 1972 when the car park in Greenfach was enlarged.
The present Town Hall site was previously-occupied by Public House called " Bon y Groes (the Base of the Cross) so that it is evident that the ancient Church Cross once stood on that spot. Every Churchyard had its Cross in those far off days they were usually made of stone, but where the Cistercian influence prevailed, they were of wood, and that may well have been the case in Aberdare.
The fine elm trees, now about 100 feet in height, were planted by Mr. Scale, the Llwydcoed Ironmaster
The troublesome problem of the proper maintenance of the Churchyard was, in a measure, solved in 1926, when a sum of about £500 was collected by the writer as an Endowment Fund now vested in the Diocesan Trust. The chief donors were a daughter of the late Doctor David Davies of Bryngolwg, Aberdare, and two daughters of the late Thomas Wayne of Glandare, each of whom contributed £100 conditional on the due Maintenance of their family graves.
The first step taken for the needed improvement was the laying of some 600 headstones level with the ground, and the removal of all curb stones. Many flowering trees and shrubs and several thousand daffodils (sometimes styled " Cennin Pedr ") have since been, plantedgifts from Parishioners and other lovers of St. John's.
Many interesting memorials are to be found there a striking one, covering a vault, consists of a massive iron plate on which the words " The Roberts's of Gadlys have been cast in heavy raised letters. Nothing more, nor was anything more required, seeing that Robertstown also tends to perpetuate the name of this well-known and proud family. A little further on, we find a simple little headstone with a musical instrument cut on the upper part, and bearing the inscription, " This stone is designed to rescue from oblivion the memory of Joseph Hyat Parfitt, the organist of St. Elvan's, who died 6th July, 1858, aged 40.
A massive square tomb near the east end of the Church records the death of Theophilus Richards of Blaengwawr, " Eminent Drover," and gives us some insight into the activities of by-gone days in the Aberdare Valley. He died in 1794 in his 90th year.
And what can be more touching, and likely to find a re-echo in many a sorrowing heart than the following inscription on the recumbent stone over the grave of the seventeen year old Cwmbach boy, William Henry Smedley, who died in 1863,
Here lies a father and a mother's joy,
The first born son, the lovely darling boy,
An early victim of the grasp of death,
Meekly submissive to his latest breath.
The old churchyard used to afford a short cut to the Gadlys and Cwmdare collieries, but in 1862 the Vicar put a stop to this by permitting a burial to take place at the High Street end of the path—at a spot now marked by the figure 3 iron grills, and opposite the gully leading to Dean Street. Stone pillars in the wall alongside the railway mark the entrance at that end.
IN CONCLUSION.
A well-known architect, Mr. Caroe, speaking at Seion College, Battersea, many years ago, said that our old Churches were a priceless possession, and should be a joy forever, " but," he added, " it is only by constant care and vigilance that we can ensure that such joy is handed down to our successors. Clergy and laity should be united in a generous affection by reverence for the old Churches and for what they stand."
We in Aberdare know something of this. The Parish Church is hallowed for us by its age long associations—not merely by the great crises of our lives, with Baptism, Marriage and Burial, but also with the daily round, the common task, and one could no more have envisaged life without the Church than a child could imagine existence without its mother. It seemed almost a living thing instinct with the soul of all the centuries of men and women who had been born, had lived, and died around it.
The rustic simplicity of our little church may disappoint at first sight, but this simplicity is typical of our ancient churches. The disturbed state of the country and its isolated position allowed little time or desire for any elaboration or architectural details, but, as that great Welshman, William Morris, has so well stated, " It must be a hard heart that does not love the plain simple character of our old churches—never coarse, though often crude enough sweet, natural and unaffected an art, of peasants rather than of merchant princes."
Such is St. John's Church.
As might well be expected, our Parish Church has experienced many vicissitudes down the ages, and even during the last 87 years there have been no less than three Restorations.
In 1859 the building was virtually in ruins and there was a movement a foot for its demolition, and the erection of a Church for the Welsh speaking Parishioners on the site. Happily wiser counsels prevailed, and the reverend Evan Lewis (afterwards Dean of Bangor) raised a sum of £900 for the necessary repairs.
The Ecclesiastical Commissioners records show that the East window was round headed in 1857, and it is much be regretted that the design of the windows generally is afterwards changed. The present windows are all modern, and not such as we should expect to find here.
A few years later, the Building was again in a ruinous state owing to coal, mining operations, and few services had been held in it for some time previous to 1871, when further Restoration was -carried out, as appears on the tablet, on the South wall.
In 1915 further repairs and improvements became necessary, and involved an expenditure of over £500.The vestry was partially rebuilt and it was wholly re-roofed. A heating chamber was erected and a modern apparatus - the gift of Mr. F. W. Mander - installed. A part of the main roof “had collapsed and was made good”. The outer walls were cement pointed throughout and rain water troughs and pipes erected.
The removal of an unsightly piece of masonry just above the West door disclosed an unsuspected built-in little lancet window space, covered on the inner side by a plastered brick wall. This was taken down and its disappearance accounts for the bare interior West wall. The many square holes found in it (and now filled up) furnished clear proof that there was once a gallery at that end of the building, and this was since been confirmed by some of the oldest parishioners at the time.
The Church had been rendered very dark by reason of all the windows having been filled in with dark lined glass, and no service had been held for many years without the use of artificial light. In 1939 the bold step is taken of replacing with semi-transparent glass much the dark glass surrounding the figures, with the result at the natural light has been increased fourfold, and the windows also are much improved in appearance.
Electric light was installed in 1933.
THE CHURCHYARD.
This was closed by an Order in Council dated 10th June, 1964, and all the graves are now full, hence no further burials are be expected. The last was in the Scale vault in 1939. The earliest date yet discovered on a grave stone is 1615. The graveyard was further altered in 1972 when the car park in Greenfach was enlarged.
The present Town Hall site was previously-occupied by Public House called " Bon y Groes (the Base of the Cross) so that it is evident that the ancient Church Cross once stood on that spot. Every Churchyard had its Cross in those far off days they were usually made of stone, but where the Cistercian influence prevailed, they were of wood, and that may well have been the case in Aberdare.
The fine elm trees, now about 100 feet in height, were planted by Mr. Scale, the Llwydcoed Ironmaster
The troublesome problem of the proper maintenance of the Churchyard was, in a measure, solved in 1926, when a sum of about £500 was collected by the writer as an Endowment Fund now vested in the Diocesan Trust. The chief donors were a daughter of the late Doctor David Davies of Bryngolwg, Aberdare, and two daughters of the late Thomas Wayne of Glandare, each of whom contributed £100 conditional on the due Maintenance of their family graves.
The first step taken for the needed improvement was the laying of some 600 headstones level with the ground, and the removal of all curb stones. Many flowering trees and shrubs and several thousand daffodils (sometimes styled " Cennin Pedr ") have since been, plantedgifts from Parishioners and other lovers of St. John's.
Many interesting memorials are to be found there a striking one, covering a vault, consists of a massive iron plate on which the words " The Roberts's of Gadlys have been cast in heavy raised letters. Nothing more, nor was anything more required, seeing that Robertstown also tends to perpetuate the name of this well-known and proud family. A little further on, we find a simple little headstone with a musical instrument cut on the upper part, and bearing the inscription, " This stone is designed to rescue from oblivion the memory of Joseph Hyat Parfitt, the organist of St. Elvan's, who died 6th July, 1858, aged 40.
A massive square tomb near the east end of the Church records the death of Theophilus Richards of Blaengwawr, " Eminent Drover," and gives us some insight into the activities of by-gone days in the Aberdare Valley. He died in 1794 in his 90th year.
And what can be more touching, and likely to find a re-echo in many a sorrowing heart than the following inscription on the recumbent stone over the grave of the seventeen year old Cwmbach boy, William Henry Smedley, who died in 1863,
Here lies a father and a mother's joy,
The first born son, the lovely darling boy,
An early victim of the grasp of death,
Meekly submissive to his latest breath.
The old churchyard used to afford a short cut to the Gadlys and Cwmdare collieries, but in 1862 the Vicar put a stop to this by permitting a burial to take place at the High Street end of the path—at a spot now marked by the figure 3 iron grills, and opposite the gully leading to Dean Street. Stone pillars in the wall alongside the railway mark the entrance at that end.
IN CONCLUSION.
A well-known architect, Mr. Caroe, speaking at Seion College, Battersea, many years ago, said that our old Churches were a priceless possession, and should be a joy forever, " but," he added, " it is only by constant care and vigilance that we can ensure that such joy is handed down to our successors. Clergy and laity should be united in a generous affection by reverence for the old Churches and for what they stand."
We in Aberdare know something of this. The Parish Church is hallowed for us by its age long associations—not merely by the great crises of our lives, with Baptism, Marriage and Burial, but also with the daily round, the common task, and one could no more have envisaged life without the Church than a child could imagine existence without its mother. It seemed almost a living thing instinct with the soul of all the centuries of men and women who had been born, had lived, and died around it.
The rustic simplicity of our little church may disappoint at first sight, but this simplicity is typical of our ancient churches. The disturbed state of the country and its isolated position allowed little time or desire for any elaboration or architectural details, but, as that great Welshman, William Morris, has so well stated, " It must be a hard heart that does not love the plain simple character of our old churches—never coarse, though often crude enough sweet, natural and unaffected an art, of peasants rather than of merchant princes."
Such is St. John's Church.