Lloyd Street Chapel, Llanelli

Lloyd Street, Llanelli was an Independent (Congregationalist) chapel in Lloyd Street, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. Services at Lloyd Street were conducted in the Welsh language.

The chapel was established in 1886 after a number of members decided to leave the neighbouring Tabernacle church. Tabernacle had been bitterly divided during the ministry of the rev J. Pandy Williams when the church became embroiled in a row about the constitusyioin of the Bala Theological College. During his ministry a large group of members left to establish Ebenezer and when Pandy left Tabernacle a number of his supporters decoded that they could not remain members of the church.[1] On 21 March 1886 members of this group held a meeting at Lakefiels School and they included Dr J. A. Jones and Joseph Williams, both of whom were prominent public figures in the town. The church was incorporated on 9 April 1996 and within seventeen months they had built a new chapel in plod Street, ironically within walking distance of Tabernacle.[2]

On 12 July 1887 a memorial stone was laid by Sir Arthur Stepney during a service led by Thomas johns of Capel Als, Thomas Davies of Siloah and Dewi Medi of Dock Chapel. The formal opening took pace over there days from 28 until 30 August 1887.[3]

The chapel closed in June 1991 and the building subsequently suffered from vandalism. The Nicholson organ was smashed by vandals who used the pipes as spears to destroy the ornate ceiling. Eventually the building was demolished in 1997.[4]