Soar Chapel (1779-1819)
1779-83 Soar-y-Mynydd, Cardiganshire. ‘The first visitation here, by way of a powerful revival, was in the year 1779. The church had been formed for 32 years, but the church at the time was only small in number, although a fair number used to listen. The revival began in the month of April 1779. A man by the name of Jack Edward Watkin, of Llanddewibrefi, was preaching there one Sabbath afternoon. The preacher was thought to be a good man, but of middling gifts. The church was already as one that had begun to bestir himself a little from his sleep; but on the Sabbath referred to, the congregation broke out crying and shouting in an uncommon way, religious and irreligious together, and among them two of the sons of the house, and they continued crying out and praising until daybreak on Monday. Daniel Rowland heard about the stir, and was truly glad of it, and announced that he would quickly go there, and it was more wonderful there that Sabbath than the previous one. “It is a heath fire,” said Mr Rowlands, because it had started on the mountain, “and will also spread abroad,” he said, and it did spread. The revival that started like this in those mountains reached many parts of North and South Wales before the end of three years, and it continued in the place where it started, without completely dying out, for four years. Many came to the church in this revival, some who have been very useful men throughout their life.’ [MC ii. 43; cf. William Williams, Welsh Calvinistic Methodism, 3rd ed., Bridgend, 1998, p.178]
This information was kindly provided by Geraint Jones For a lot more see http://daibach-welldigger.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/soar-y-mynydd-revival-at-remotest.html.
1819. The revival at Soar-y-mynydd was considered the most powerful of all that it experienced during its long history, and resulted in great additions to the church. It began in a prayer meeting at a farmhouse called Nant-llwyd, near the location of the present chapel, and is said to have continued very powerfully for about two years.
MC, ii, p. 43.
Additional Information
The farms round and about were bought some time ago by the Forestry Commission, so the places where the revivals caught fire no longer exist. The Chapel is still used regularly a few times a year.