Uchafbwyntiau Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol

-*

-Welcome to the final programme

-of the series.

-Welcome to

-Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol.

-# Soli Deo gloria

-# Soli Deo gloria

-# Soli Deo gloria #

-On tonight's programme, we look back

-at some of the series' highlights.

-It was an important year

-for many Welsh chapels and churches.

-Many celebrated notable milestones.

-We also met individuals

-who celebrated this year.

-Tonight, we look back

-at those celebrations.

-Our first hymn tonight is...

-.."Arglwydd Iesu, dysg im gerdded

-drwy y byd yn ol dy droed."

-The singing comes

-from Tabor chapel in Pembrokeshire.

-Dr Barry Morgan was ordained

-as a bishop 20 years ago.

-It's also 10 years since he was made

-Archbishop of Wales.

-In a special programme,

-he reminisced about his life.

-One place that's close to his heart

-is the West Wales coast...

-..and New Quay in particular.

-Like many

-of the Amman Valley's children...

-..I spent my childhood summers with

-my family on Wales's west coast.

-I still have

-very fond memories of New Quay.

-I remember the days

-I spent at the beach...

-..having rides on the lifeboat

-on special open days...

-..and having picnics on the beach...

-..with my parents,

-brother and sister.

-These days, thousands of people

-flock here in summer...

-..but it's also nice in winter

-because it's less populated...

-..and it allows me

-to wander and recall memories...

-..of all the different places

-I visited as a child.

-The most obvious hymn

-which springs to mind is...

-..Dyma Gariad Fel Y Moroedd

-Tosturiaethau Fel Y Lli.

-The hymn writer is referring

-to God's love in Jesus Christ.

-A love that is wider

-and deeper than the ocean.

-That is essentially

-the heart and soul of the Gospel.

-Love is the nature of God.

-Daniel Rowland was a prominent

-figure during the Methodist revival.

-Last year,

-the Llangeitho community...

-..celebrated 300 years

-since his birth.

-Rhys Meirion joined former Gwynfil

-chapel minister, Stephen Morgan...

-..to discuss Daniel Rowland's

-contribution to Welsh history.

-It's lovely to meet you, Stephen.

-How much do we know about

-Daniel Rowland's early history?

-Very little, in actual fact,

-because his documents went missing.

-Tradition has it that it was here

-in the parish of Nantcwnlle...

-..in this house called Pantybeudy

-that he was born.

-Daniel Rowland's father,

-Daniel Rowland Senior...

-..was Rector of Llangeitho.

-It's believed he was born here.

-There is some basis to the legend...

-..that he was saved from death

-in his childhood.

-It's believed

-he was standing near an open fire...

-..when a large stone

-fell from the top of the chimney...

-..onto the spot where he had been

-standing only minutes before.

-It's a tale of providence,

-according to legend.

-His life was spared for a purpose...

-..like Moses and many of

-the Old Testament's figures...

-..as well as those down the ages.

-We're near the upper part

-of the River Aeron...

-..which flows into the sea

-at Aberaeron.

-Traditionally, the streams

-and rivers divided the parishes.

-Behind us is the parish of Ceitho...

-..in which

-the Church of St Ceitho stands.

-When Daniel Rowland

-was suspended by the bishop...

-..he moved

-to the parish of Gwynfil...

-..which lends its name

-to the chapel which stands there.

-It was there

-that he established his new church.

-Daniel attracted crowds

-from all parts of Wales.

-They came in their droves

-form north and south.

-Pantycelyn alluded to the spiritual

-enlightenment of the crowds...

-..who were overjoyed

-by this awakening...

-..and were completely revived...

-..by the magnetism

-and the appeal...

-..of the great reformer's preaching.

-If you travel along the A470

-to Merthyr Tydfil...

-..you'll be familiar

-with the Llwyn-On Reservoir.

-The story of the valley being

-flooded to create the reservoir...

-..is less familiar.

-Nearby Bethel chapel

-was rebuilt 100 years ago.

-Rhys Meirion met two members

-of its congregation...

-..to learn more

-about valley's history.

-This chapel is in

-a splendid location...

-..in the shadow of Taf Fawr valley.

-Yes, but the original chapel,

-before the valley was drowned...

-..was further along...

-..near the turning to Cwm Cadlan.

-Our forefathers established

-the chapel in 1795...

-..with the deacons

-of Seion Chapel in Merthyr.

-They built the original Bethel

-in 1799.

-Why did they build

-the reservoir here?

-From what I know, there was an

-outbreak of diphtheria in Cardiff.

-They needed fresh water.

-There's a lot of fresh water here -

-it comes from the mountains.

-That's why the reservoir

-was built here.

-Losing the chapel and school

-was a big blow for the community.

-How did they respond?

-How did they respond?

-

-They had very little choice.

-Charles Morgan, Lord Tredegar,

-owned all the land in this area.

-He decided to sell the land.

-The tenants were scared

-to speak out.

-They just carried on with

-their lives but many moved away.

-He donated this land to the chapel.

-The new Bethel chapel

-was opened in 1914...

-..and we celebrate the 100th

-anniversary of the chapel this year.

-There will be many celebrations

-this year.

-How strong is the congregation

-in Bethel?

-We're a small congregation,

-all derived from the same family.

-It's important for us

-to keep the chapel open.

-Our family has all been buried

-in the chapel's cemetery.

-It's important for us

-to keep this place open.

-We've already heard about

-the flooding of Cwm Taff valley...

-..and the centenary celebration

-of the rebuilding of the chapel.

-It's 50 years since

-the community of Llangyndeyrn...

-..battled successfully

-to stop their valley being flooded.

-I went to learn more

-about the campaign.

-How did you find out about the

-intention of flooding the valley?

-I remember it was a wet morning,

-much like today, in February 1960.

-I was standing on the farmyard...

-..when the local shopkeeper

-delivered the Western Mail.

-I'd usually have a quick scan

-of the paper when it was delivered.

-Something caught my attention

-on the front page...

-..in bold black letters.

-"A Welsh valley

-faces death by drowning".

-What a terrifying headline.

-As I read on, I couldn't believe

-what I was reading.

-The Swansea Water Corporation

-was searching for more water.

-The site they had chosen,

-their favoured site...

-..was Cwm Gwendraeth Fach.

-From the village of Llangyndeyrn,

-all the way up to Porthyrhyd.

-I couldn't believe it,

-it was such a shock.

-I'd never heard of such a thing.

-People from Swansea wanted

-to come here to flood my home.

-Panteg would be caught

-right in the thick of things.

-We're at the lower end

-of the valley...

-..where the reservoir

-would have been deepest.

-The farmhouse, buildings

-and farmland would be flooded.

-We would lose our livelihood.

-Five generations of the family

-would be left homeless.

-It would have been a huge loss.

-A committee was formed...

-..and you were a member

-of the original committee.

-Yes, and then we formed

-a defence committee.

-We chose a chairman, William Thomas,

-and a secretary, Reverend WM Rees.

-We were fortunate to have two great

-leaders - there was no-one better.

-We are very indebted to them both.

-With Reverend WM Rees

-on your side...

-..you had little choice

-but to form a non-violent protest.

-He put great emphasis on that.

-He didn't want violence of any kind.

-That's why it was predominantly

-a local campaign.

-No-one from the outside was brought

-in for fear of recrimination.

-What are you feelings today,

-50 years later?

-To be honest, I feel the same as

-Eifion Wyn felt about Cwm Pennant.

-"Lord, why did you make the

-Gwendraeth valley so beautiful

-"And the life of a farmer

-like me so short?"

-I thank the people who campaigned

-for the cause back then...

-..especially the two leaders.

-Without them, I would have lost

-50 years of a happy life...

-..farming a small patch of land

-in this valley.

-More than that, we can pass it on

-to the next generation.

-We're grateful to everyone

-who showed their bravery.

-We've reached the end of the

-programme and the end of the series.

-I hope you've enjoyed our programmes

-over the past few weeks...

-..and I hope you're looking forward

-to the next series in the autumn.

-Our final hymn was recorded

-in Hermon chapel, Fishguard.

-Mi Dafla' 'Maich Oddi Ar Fy Ngwar

-sung to the hymn tune Tyddewi.

-From us all, goodbye.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

-.