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 St Paul's
Church... Constructed of Gothic design, it was built between 1888-91,
and was for the first year of its existence also a daughter church of St
Peter's Blaina. When St Michael's became a parish in its own right in 1892, St
Paul's was transferred to it, and remained a daughter church of Abertillery
until becoming a parish church in 1923.Records show that the first service was held on January 10th 1891, when the Bishop of Llandaff held his confirmation, and the first recorded baptism was of Edith Esther Cole, daughter of police constable Francis Cole of Shop Row.  Burial recorded show 18-Feb-1891 being the first, that
of David Samuel, and of the next 499 burials (up to 1912) no less than 297 were
of infants below the age of four. Many of them fallen victim of diseases such
as diptheria, cholera, and influenza, which reached epidemic proportions on
several occasions.Large families were common, an entry of 1901 records a family of seven baptised simultaneously. But life must have been remarkably nasty, brutish and short for many, for a sequence of burials from 01-Jan-1899 to 10-May-1902, (100 in all) gives us a life expectancy average of only 16.9 years. The first recorded marriage was of Charles Smith and Emily Elizabeth Trapp, on 16-Sept-1891. In 1921 over 200 copies of the first, St Paul's magazine, was printed and circulated. Church Construction... St Paul's was built on land given by the South Wales Colliery Company and the building construction was entrusted to Messrs. E Turner & Sons of Cardiff. The Church of early English Gothic Style, would consisted of a nave 61ft. by 30ft wide, a chancel 28ft long by 19ft wide, and a vestry (which would be extended in 1935). The church would have lancet windows filled with stained glass, the external walls built of red sandstone, obtained from the Gilwern quarries, and the tracings, being composed of Forest of Dean stone. The church would accommodate about 300 people and a total cost apporx £1,100. The work of digging out the foundations, (which was a considerable job, as the church is built into a steep bank), was accomplished by miners during one of the lay-offs at the pit. The church yard was walled with stone, and was bounded along its lower edge by the tramroad which ran down the valley from levels at the Gwrydd. The site beyond the existing yard, had been earmarked for a school and new vicarage, but in 1936, it was hoped that it could instead, be purchased from the Colliery Co and used for burials. The war would intervened before the legal niceties could be agreed and the new yard would not be finalised until 1946. Shortly after the purchase, it was found that the lower section was so waterlogged caused from the constant mountain seepage, that it had to be abandoned and has not been used since. In October 1947 a Oak and Super alter was installed, a memory of the Cwmtillery men who died in the second World war.  A second memorial was also erected on the wall inside the main doors, this bears 23 names of those whom sacrificed their lives. The church bell was the original bell used to call the Miners to work in the early days of the Cwmtillery Colliery, and donated to the church when it was replaced by the steam hooter. It would remained at the church until 1991, when a hole found in the side of the bell, forced the search for a replacement. After a few weeks one would be found and purchased from a church in Maesycwmmer. Note "The original bell was then given to the Abertillery District Museum". Accommodation... Addition accommodation would crop up in a few times throughout the history of St Paul's. In 1920 T Madog Williams, priest in charge, married shortly after his arrival and a house had to be found to accommodate him and his bride. A house in Victoria Terrace (No 51), Penybont was purchased at a cost of £520, and it became known as St Paul's House. Today it is named St Clements, and is numbered in with Tillery Road. In 1924 the purchase of a proper vicarage located in Gwern Berthi Rd and at a cost of £380 was sought. The following year the surgery adjoining the vicarage was also bought, and then, rented back to the doctor for £32 per annum. In 1963 plans for a 4-bedroom vicarage built inside the church grounds were drawn up, but due to other costly commitments, were never used. Two years later new plans for a 3 bedroom vicarage were made and work would start in August 1963 and completed 16 months later. The Church Room... A function hall was also required, but due to a Council Order made after the war which forbade all new purchases of "Luxury" buildings. Attempts were made to purchase the then recently closed Zion Chapel as a hall. however it proved not to be suitable. Attention would then moved to Chivers Brewery on crook hill, which had also closed, but at £1000 that proved to costly. The problem was only resolved, when the Council Order was lifted, and a "Army Hut" purchased and erected on the site of the present vicarage. The total cost including heaters and fitting was £130. By 1960, this now ageing Church room was in need of replacement, and a new prefabricated building was ordered. At the same time the "East Side Methodist Church" closed, and offered for sale. The price asked would be a considerable saving, and so purchased instead of the prefabricated building. This was to be the start of problem after problem, for it was estimated that internal repairs, new stairs heating and lighting would cost £600. The external structure would deteriorate rapidly over the next 30 years and with the poor internal condition the building would have to be demolished. In 1990 saw the end of Red Brick Chapel, reduced to rubble and in its place a prefabricated building which still stands today. It was purchased from Gelli Grug school and was one of the original huts which stood at the rear of the school and was used for teaching. Weather... Most of the clergy at St Paul's seem to have been inveterate weather watchers, and recorded their observations in the service book. In 1901 we read that services were curtailed because, "Church lane was blocked with snow". In Feb 1916 the church was "cut off by a blizzard" and poor attendances that spring are excused because it was "very wet and windy" There is another blizzard recorded in Nov 1919. and in 1933 (Feb) we read of snow and ice, the roads being "congested". In Jan 1940 the roads were "icebound and dangerous". and the 1947 winter states " the snow began Jan 26th and did not finally melt until April". That winter miners dug out a path for a funeral cortege all the way from crook hill to the church yard. In 1954 snow fell as late as May and in 1956 snow 2 to 3 feet deep lay in church lane for Christmas. In 1962-3 it was second in severity only to 1947, the first snow early Nov and in Jan the church lane was blocked again. During this period the new church hall (red brick) was used for services Finally in 1968 ice cut off the church once more and gales of over 100mph were recorded. |
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 The church organ... was installed in Feb 1907, it was supplied by Sweetlands of Bath. Over the coming years it would serve the Church well, but as time moved on repair costs would grow. In 1923 costs of £120 and in 1947 of £410 would be incurred. By 1965 the church was looking at a repair cost of £1000. This repair was deemed beyond economical repair and a "livingstone Burge" electronic organ was purchase for £750. The original organ would eventually be sold to a baptist church in Llanishen Cardiff where it was cannibalised to enlarge another organ of the same make. |
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 War Years...
Little seems to be documented covering the War periods, but I managed to find
this small section. The war resulted in extra services rather than curtailments, in December 1940 the Home Guard held a parade service in church. March 23rd 1941 was set apart as a "National Day of Prayer". The parish was required to put a rota of Fire-Watchers into operation, and two "Stirrup pumps and 6 buckets, plus sand to put in them" were purchased. Sunday school was bursting at the seams with influx of evacuees. In 1942 the interior and exterior of the church was photographed at the request of the War Damage Commission and the prints were lodged with the Archdeacon. |
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Event's... Whitsun Festival 1922.....The
pattern of this Whitsun Festival was as usually, a procession of witness
followed by Tea and Games on the "Rec", the park behind Bryn Terrace. Children
were given quantities of sweets, these being measured according to their
attendance. In this particular year sweets cost £8-7-3. which resented an
awful lot of sweets. But with Sunday school 100 strong and the choir
overflowing with young choristers, the church at this time was
prospering. In 1927 The Young People's Club began, and has continued ever since, with only a few interruptions. The parish football team was also successful at this time, and even won the local cup in 1930. 1948 was the Silver Jubilee year of the parish, and every churchgoer was encouraged to give some kind of gift to the church. There was an extensive program of suppers, teas and a parish dance. The Good Friday Procession of Witness was held for the first time in 1969, and members of all the major denominations in Abertillery and district carried a large Wooden Cross to the top of Cwmtillery tip. The cross now rests in St Paul,s for most of each year. Many more events can be found in the St Paul's register, jumble sales, bazaars, carnivals, soapbox derbies to mention but a few,. and all would see the community come together with its help, and support. My thanks to those at St Paul's for the help given in this reseach, and are still helping with a few loose ends which will be added later. |
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List of Vicars
When Fr David Nicholson was appointed in 1995, the three parishes of Abertillery, Cwmtillery, and Six Bells became what is known as "grouped parishes" under the care of one Vicar. To assist him a curate was appointed, so I have included a list of of the Cwmtillery Curates. List of Curates
List of Churchwardens
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