St David's Church
Rhymney Parish Church (St. David’s) in 1870, seen in grand isolation before the construction before the construction of its neigbouring houses had taken place.
Royal Assent was given on 14 May 1839 to Act of Parliament providing for: ‘An Act to enable the Rhymney Iron Company to erect and endow a church in the Parish of Bedwellty in the County of Monmouth’. This led to the construction and consecration of the St. David’s Parish Church in 1843. Attended by his chaplain and chancellor, the visiting bishop was greeted at the church gate by clergy in canonical vestments, directors of Rhymney Iron Company and by thousands of people who had collected from neighbouring districts.
Appointed by the Rhymney Iron Company to be the first vicar of Rhymney, Reverend Lodwick Edwards served as a conscientious and powerful preacher from 1843 to 1855 where he was remembered for his impressive services and huge congregations.
The bell-tower originally contained one bell which was presented to the church by Andrew Buchan, its first churchwarden.
Following on from Lodwick Edwards came the much-admired Canon William Evans who served as vicar of the church from 1856 to 1900 and with whom Andrew Buchan went on to develop a strong friendship.
Canon Evans, here seen depicted on a jug, has a plaque on the church wall commemorating his 44 years as a Parish vicar; he died aged 76. He was responsible, supported by the local community, for the introduction of the hugely popular ‘Penny Readings’ into Rhymney. This form of entertainment incorporated selected readings, singing and instrumental music and together with its demonstration youth culture and self-expression, was to become increasingly competitive and in line with the small Eisteddfodau.
Buchan’s bells were cast by John Warner and Sons, London in 1875 in Tenor B Flat. They consist of a complete ring of six, each inscribed with the maker’s name and date of manufacture. One bell has the additional inscription ‘In memoriam of Andrew Buchan who died in on February 4th 1870’.