Bethel - (Presbyterian)

A document belonging to the late Mr. Rhys Roberts, chemist, of Dyserth gives the following information:The foundation of the Church - as a congregation, but no building -seems to have been in 1808.
It is thought that the movement began through the preaching of one Robert Jones who was preaching and conducting a 'Circulating School ' in Rhuddlan in 1770.

In Dyserth he started preaching in the kitchen of his lodgings, but his hearers became so numerous that the kitchen was too small, and crockery was broken. They moved to the mill next door, but there was only one candle, and this went out.
For the next few years there is no definite information about Dyserth, but there were notable open air preachers living nearby. From 1800 to 1817 services were held at Rhos Mari, the home of Harri and Doli Jones. The earliest activities were preaching and running a Sunday School. Services were held in the loft, and moved later to a white-washed room downstairs, where there was more space, and they were able to hold the Sunday School, prayer meetings and the Seiat.

In 1822 the Minister, the Rev. Thomas Jones died. He had owned a piece of land in Dyserth. The chapel was able to lease this, and it formed part of the present site. A chapel building was erected, next to the Red Lion. In the following years the congregation expanded to such an extent that this building became inadequate and by 1849 it had to be enlarged. More land was needed, and an application was made to William Shipley Conwy, of Bodrhyddan Hall, who granted them the land "free and forever". On Friday 5th of July, 1867 the whole membership of the church and Sunday School (over 300) marched to Bodrhyddan to thank him, and the children sang to him on the lawn, as a way of expressing their thanks. William Shipley Conwy was so touched that he gave them £5 for the fund, and they went back for a Tea Party and general meeting that had been organised.

1869 saw the opening of the new chapel, with seating for 380 people. The chapel is said to have cost £1300. £600 of it was paid off straight away, and on January 1890 they celebrated the final payment.

In the late 1980s Mynydd Seion closed and the congregation joined the one at Bethel. This chapel in turn closed in 2002 and the Welsh Presbyterians from Bethel now share a building with the United Reformed Church in Upper Dyserth.

United Reformed Church

In 1843 the Union of Welsh Independents established a chapel, known as Horeb Chapel, in Ochr-y-Foel - now Upper Dyserth. Mr David Humphreys was the first minister, and services were conducted in Welsh. After 1871 the Welsh-speaking congregation had dwindled to two or three. But Dyserth was expanding, and there was an influx of English-speaking people, and this created a demand for services in English. Horeb Chapel was admitted into the North Wales English Congregational Union, and became the English Congregational Chapel.

There were not only church services there but also a Magic Lantern show every Friday evening. The Friday meetings were especially popular and may well have contributed to the growing attraction of the chapel. By 1923 the chapel had become too small for the growing congregation and a new building became necessary. A parcel of land adjoining Horeb was acquired, the foundation stones for the new building were laid in 1926 and Horeb Chapel was sold. It is now a fish and chip shop, but the plaque high up on the outside wall remains.

The plaque reads:-

LAPEL YR ANNIBYNWYR
HOREB
Yr Arglwydd
ein Duw a wnaeth
gyfammod â ni yn
Horeb. Deut. V.2
AD 1842

On April 7th, 1927, the opening service was held in the new chapel. In 1928 a schoolroom was added. This was of timber on brick foundations, with a corrugated asbestos roof, and fitted with electricity. It was replaced in 1968 by the Paterson Memorial Hall, so named in memory of the Rev. E.D.Paterson, who had played a large part in the church’s history.

At this time there was much discussion over the proposed Union between the English Congregational Church and the Presbyterian movement in England. In 1971 a vote was taken in favour of the scheme of Union and in 1972 the church became the United Reformed Church. In 1993 the Church celebrated its 150th anniversary.

Today the building is shared with the Welsh Presbyterians, after the closure of Bethel chapel in 2002.

 Most of the text on this page comes from Dyserth. An Historic Village by Ronald & Lucy Davies by kind permission of their family.