Locals save birthplace of famous hymn tune

A community group in Wales is planning to purchase the Grade II-listed chapel where the famous hymn tune Cwm Rhondda was first sung.

Composer John Hughes wrote Cwm Rhondda for a November 1907 anniversary service and it remains one of the most famous traditional hymn tunes – usually sung to "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah."

Capel Rhondda, in Hopkinstown, South Wales, was built in 1885 and closed at the end of last year. When locals discovered it had been put on the market for £47,500, they did not want it purchased by wealthy developers.

A successful crowdfunding campaign was set up by a former villager who wanted to keep it in community hands and raised enough to offer the asking price.

The Baptist Union of Wales has confirmed it has accepted the offer and said: “While declining attendance led to the difficult decision to close the chapel in December 2024, we are delighted that its future is now secured through community ownership.”

A further round of crowdfunding has, at the time of writing, nearly reached its target of £75,000 to fund legal costs, and the necessary renovations and building works required.

They can expect plenty of voluntary help too - "Peter" donated £10 and said: “If successful I will come from Leeds and strim your churchyard free of charge.”

The Church Growth Trust, which is gifted chapels still occupied by independent evangelical churches to ensure that they stay in church use, would not have been able to take on Capel Rhondda because it is held under trust.

Chief Executive Giles Arnold said: “If we were able to buy it, we would have to have a church lined up to occupy, who would be able to afford to repay the cost of us having to purchase the chapel, and again this is unlikely in this location.”

The Trust is trying to find a suitable church for a chapel north of Bridgend (less than half an hour from Capel Rhondda). “This is proving to be a challenge even with a house attached,” said Arnold.

He added: “There are so many empty chapels in Wales and, although there are new churches starting up, planting, and others growing, there still seems to be more buildings than churches. We continue to pray for a revival in the Valleys and elsewhere in Wales.”