Williams Pantycelyn Memorial Church, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire

Name: Williams Pantycelyn Memorial Church Denomination: Calvinistic Methodist Built: 1886-88 (by J. H. Phillips of Cardiff) Notes: [The chapel is] remarkable in the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Movement in being [the] first place of worship into which works of art have been admitted, such as stained glass windows and carved Caen-stone pulpit. Built in the Gothic and Romanesque style, gable entry type. A prominent feature of this Chapel is the flanking towers. [Extracted from the Coflein database] Photography: Pat Powell Date: circa 2005 Camera: Fujifilm MX-2900 Zoom digital

Rev William Williams, 'Williams Pantycelyn' (1717-1791), was born in Cefn-coed, near Llandovery in the parish of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Carmarthenshire. He was educated at Llwyn-llwyd Academy with a view to becoming a doctor. However, after hearing Howell Harris (1714-1773) preaching at Talgarth, Williams was immediately converted. He joined the Established Church and was ordained deacon in 1740. He later devoted all his energies to the Methodist movement and became one of its leading figures in Wales. Following his marriage in 1748 he went to live at his mother's old home, Pantycelyn, in his native parish. Williams is regarded as one of the most important and popular hymn-writers in Wales. He wrote over 800 hymns, many of which are still sung today. He was also a poet and writer of prose. He died in 1791 and was buried at the church of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, Llandovery.
[Adapted from information on the Gathering the Jewels website]