Our industrial heritage

Morriston is a bustling town of approx 17,000 people, steeped in industrial history, and is situated four miles north of the city of Swansea.

John Morris

John Morris came to the Swansea area in 1726 to start a copper works, was instrumental in building the town of Morriston from about 1779. Morriston was constructed as “Wales’ earliest planned industrial village”, laid out on a grid pattern and named after its founder. The grid pattern remains in evidence today. Morris originally named the town “Morris Town”, but this was shortened into the single word “Morriston” and by 1819 it boasted some 300 stone cottages with tiled roofs for the workers in the nearby copper industry. From the mid 19th century the thriving copper industry in the area had begun to wane and in its place grew a tinplate industry and present day Morriston is largely the creation of this later period.

Aenon Baptist church opens its doors

The first meeting of the newly formed ‘Aenon English Baptist Church’ took place on Tuesday October the 14^th 1879. A meeting had taken place the previous Tuesday at Seion Welsh Baptist Chapel Morriston, to consider starting an English Baptist cause in the town. The first meeting of the new church was on the 14^th October and took place in the clubroom of the Old Dolphin in Woodfield Street.

After six weeks of meeting together this fledgling church decided to look at building it’s own place of worship. The land was purchased and the cornerstone was laid on Thursday June 10^th 1880, later that year the keys were handed over by the builders to the building committee on Tuesday the 14^th December 1880.

The first minister was the Rev. W. Johns and he held the post for eight years. In 1888 the Rev. David Samuel was appointed Pastor, he began his working life as a shoemakers apprentice before being called to the ministry. Following training at Haverfordwest Baptist College he was inducted as Pastor of Saundersfoot Baptist Church, from there he moved to West Cross then to Mount Calvary, Danygraig before taking charge of Aenon in 1888. The Rev. David Samuel remained as Minister until his death in June 1926.

Over the years there had been long periods where the church had been without a Pastor and church minutes have recorded, with thanks, the work of the church officers and members during these times.