A Welsh community organisation has successfully taken control of the historic chapel where one of the nation’s most beloved hymns first rang out nearly 120 years ago.
Capel Rhondda Cyf completed its purchase of the former Baptist chapel in Hopkinstown, near Pontypridd, after an extraordinary crowdfunding effort brought in more than £72,000 from supporters both locally and internationally.
The building holds profound cultural significance as the venue where composer John Hughes debuted Cwm Rhondda in 1907, written to mark the installation of a new organ.
Rhian Hopkins, a director of the community group, said: “The purchase of Capel Rhondda demonstrates what is possible when people come together.”
She added: “Community ownership of the chapel is not just a powerful symbol, but ensures that the future of Capel Rhondda will be shaped by local voices.”
The Grade II-listed building had been placed on the market for just £47,000 after the Baptist Union of Wales closed its doors in December 2024, following years of dwindling congregations.
Residents grew alarmed at the prospect of property developers snapping up the site, fearing the chapel’s remarkable heritage would be erased forever.
A last-minute intervention saw a crowdfunding campaign launched, which swiftly attracted donations from across Wales and far beyond.
A Welsh community organisation has successfully taken control of the historic chapel
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Some contributors gave in memory of relatives who had once sung in the chapel choir, whilst others donated simply out of affection for the hymn itself.
The fundraising drive reached its target within days, securing the building’s future as a community asset rather than a private conversion.
Ms Hopkins, who is from the small Rhondda Cynon Taf village and attended Sunday school at the chapel during her childhood, emerged as one of the campaign’s principal figures.
She received the keys to the building earlier this week, marking the culmination of the community’s determined efforts.
The Grade II listed building had been placed on the market for just £47,000 after the Baptist Union of Wales closed its doors
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The Welsh Government has now awarded £10,000 through its Perthyn grant scheme to support the project’s next phase.
Ms Hopkins said: “The backing we have received from the Perthyn grant is instrumental in helping us to take the next steps, allowing us to carry out essential surveys and plan the necessary repairs to be able to re-open the doors of this precious building.”
The funding will enable the group to conduct vital structural assessments and begin planning restoration work on the historic venue.
Mark Drakeford, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language and former first minister, visited the chapel to mark the occasion, arriving just one day after the community group took possession of the keys.
During his visit, members of the Pontypridd Male Voice Choir performed Cwm Rhondda within the very walls where the hymn first echoed more than a century ago.
Mr Drakeford said: “It was an honour to visit Capel Rhondda so soon after the community received the keys and to celebrate what has been achieved. Hearing the choir perform the hymn in its birthplace was a moving experience.”
The chapel represents the first project in the south Wales valleys to benefit from the Perthyn grant, which supports community initiatives centred on the Welsh language.
Since 2022, more than 70 such grants have been distributed across Wales.