Albany Road Baptist Church

Albany Road Baptist Church is a Baptist church located in Roath, Cardiff, Wales.

Albany Road Baptist Church
The church of 1932, with the 1890s schoolroom at rear left.
51.4940°N 3.1625°W / 51.4940; -3.1625
DenominationBaptist
Membership156
Websitewww.albanyroadbaptist.org
History
StatusActive
Founded1894
Architecture
Architectural typeRenaissance, Perpendicular
Years built1898-1932
Specifications
Capacity550
Materialsstone, brown brick, Bath stone

History

The cause which would eventually become Albany Road Baptist Church began in 1894 in nearby Cottrell Road, located in rooms above a stable. Initially, it was Particular Baptist, with Communion available only to those baptised by Immersion, and membership denied to anyone involved in the drinks trade. In 1898, the congregation moved to its present location on Albany Road, and founded a large school chapel, which is still in use. Th adjacent corner site was left empty, as it was desired to build the planned church free of debt. The church became 'open communion' in 1916.

The building of the planned church was delayed through lack of funds and the First World War. It was eventually finished in 1932, though the tower was built far smaller than originally envisaged. In 1971, the school chapel was converted into upper and lower halls, and a coffee bar was added. A glass frontage and vestibule were added in the centennial year of 1994.[1]

In the late 1960s, the church played a significant role in the founding of Christchurch United Church in Llanederyn. Albany Road presented proposals for the establishment of a new church in the expanding suburb, but the Roath Park Council of Churches to whom the plans were presented were unable to act on them. Being independent of any central control, Albany Road proceeded with the plans alone. It applied for one of the three sites on the estate which had been earmarked for church use. Several members of the church left to form the new congregation, which began worshiping in the hall of St Teilo's Church in Wales High School in 1967, then moving to a newly built hall in 1969 until the present church was completed in 1977.[2]

Present

The church is said to have 156 Baptist members.[3] The church is heavily involved with the local community and runs several creches, a youth group, arts and crafts classes and lunch clubs.

References
  1. Rose, J. Cardiff Churches Through Time. Amberley. 2013. p. 58
  2. "Christchurch United Church". Archived from the original on 21 November 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  3. "South Wales Baptist ASsociation". Retrieved 16 March 2017.


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