History

The Origins of Moriah

In 1739, following the visit of the itinerant preacher Howell Harris to the Loughor area, a Society of Methodists was formed. The first meetings were held in a farmhouse kitchen on the opposite side of the road to the present Moriah Chapel. Rev Hopkin Bevan became the minister of the society which flourished to such an extent that the need for a chapel building became a necessity. The members were poor and unable to afford to build a meeting place. Mrs Elizabeth Morgan, however, made provision in her will for the renovation of a thatched barn which was adapted and became the first Moriah in 1827-28. It was known as “Capel y To Gwellt” (The Thatched Roof Chapel) and was situated behind the present schoolroom. It was officially opened on 11th October 1828.

The church grew to such an extent that very soon “Capel y To Gwellt” became too small and it was decided to build a larger chapel nearby in 1842 and it became known as “Moria”. This is the present schoolroom. It is interesting to see the date stone at the back of the schoolroom and also to note that the name of the chapel in those days did not have a “h” at the end. A gallery was added to the building in 1849 and before long a house was attached to the chapel. Traces of the house can still be seen on the schoolroom wall.

Painting of the schoolroom and chapel house

The first tenants of the chapel house were the family of Margaret Lewis. Her son David became an elder of Moriah.

The membership of Moriah increased to 100 in 1873 - the year that Henry and Hannah Roberts, joined the church. Five years later, in 1878, their son Evan was born.

Henry and Hannah Roberts

The church continued to grow and it was necessary to demolish the house and build a larger building at a cost of £1,700 in 1898. The first service was held in July 1899 and the minister, Rev Daniel Jones, preached the first sermon from 1 Kings 8:23 “The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers; let him not leave us, nor forsake us.” He could not have imagined the amazing way in which God would bless the Church just five years later through a young man who was a member of Moriah, Evan Roberts, the Revivalist.

Moriah – the main chapel

Evan Roberts as a young man