Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru.

(History of the Welsh Independent Churches)

By Thomas Rees & John Thomas; 4 volumes (published 1871+)

Extracted  by Gareth Hicks from the CD published by Archive CD Books (Jan 2008) - with translation

Domgay

(Vol 1, p 345/6)

"Mae y lle hwn ar y goror, yn mhlwyf Llandisilio, ac er fod yr achos yn Saesonaeg, ac wedi ymuno a chyfundeb sir Amwythig, etto y mae bob amser wedi ei gyfrif gyda sir Drefaldwyn. Daliwyd Mr. G. Ryan, Tra- llwm yma mewn ystorm, fel nas gallasai fyned yn mhellach, a throdd i'r gwesty a elwir y Golden Lion Hotel, yn mhentref Llandisilio. Wedi deall mai gweinidog Ymneillduol ydoedd, amlygodd Mrs. Edwards, gwraig y ty, ei gofid iddo, am nad oedd. Ymneillduwyr yn y lle ; ac y teimlai hyny yn llawer mwy oblegid fod yr offeiriad yn mhell o fod yn efengylaidd ei athrawiaeth, nac yn ddiargyhoedd ei fuchedd. Ymgynghorodd Mr. Ryan a Mr. J. Whitridge, Croesoswallt, ac arweiniodd hyny hwy i'r ardal i bregethu tua'r flwyddyn 1808. Cynhelid y gwasanaeth i ddechreu mewn cotty o eiddo Mr. J. Grifflths, ond oblegid ymosodiad erlidwyr, cynhelid hwy yn nhy Mr. Griffiths ; ac oblegid ei fod yn uwch ei sefyllfa na'r rhan fwyaf ni feiddiant aflonyddu arnynt yno. Corpholwyd yma eglwys yn fuan wedi dechreu pregethu ; ond ni chodwyd y capel hyd 1823, ar dir a roddwyd gan Mr. Griffiths, Domgay, ac agorwyd ef yn y flwyddyn ganlynol. Mr. Morris, am yr hwn y crybwyllasom yn hanes y Sarnau, yma am dymor byr ; ond nid oes genym ddim o'i hanes, ond ymddengys iddo farw yn fuan. Pan y cymerodd Mr. Daniel Davies ofal eglwys y Sarnau, cymerodd hefyd ofal yr eglwys hon, a bu yma nes yr ymadawodd i Woolerton, yn 1821. Ar ei ol ef daeth Mr. James Peregrine yma o Bishop Castle, ond yr oedd wedi bod cyn hyny yn Llanfaches, yn sir Fynwy, fel y crybwyllasom yn hanes yr eglwys hono. Ni bu yma ond am bedair blynedd ; er fod eglwys Domgay yn unol am dano, ond nid oedd y Sarnau felly; ac ymfadodd America tua'r flwyddyn 1825. Yn fuan wedi sefydliad Mr. John Rees yn y Sarnau yn 1825, cymerodd hefyd ofal yr eglwys hon, a bu yma nes yr ymadawodd i Cholfort yn 1833. Yn 1836, cymerodd Mr. J. Griffiths, Pant, ofal yr eglwys, a bu yma hyd 1850. Ar ol Mr. Griffiths daeth Mr. William Cynon Davies, myfyriwr o Athrofa Aberhonddu yma, ac urddwyd ef Gorphenaf 13eg, 1858; a bu yma hyd 1861, pryd y symudodd i Prees. Yn 1864, urddwyd Mr. David Evans, myfyriwr o Athrofa, Aberhonddu, yma ac ymadawodd. yn 1866. Daeth Mr. B. J. Harker, y gweinidog persenol, yma yn 1869. Dygwyd ef i fyny yn Nghyfundeb y Wesleyaid Cymanfaol.

Codwyd yma ddau bregethwr.

• Richard Roberts, yr hwn a ddechreuodd bregethu yn 1865, a
• Thomas Edwards, yr hwn a ddechreuodd bregethu yn 1870.

Mae ein cofnodion o'r eglwys hon yn anmherffaith iawn, ond costiodd i ni lawer o drafferth i'w cael fel y maent. Rhoddodd Mr. T. Jenkins, Sarnau, i ni bob help yn ei allu."

Translation by Maureen Saycell (Feb 2008)

 "This place is on the border, in the parish of Llandyssilio, although the cause is English and is part of the Shropshire Union, it has always been counted with Montgomeryshire. Mr G. Ryan, Welshpool was caught in a storm here, and as he could go no further he repaired to the local Inn named the Golden Lion Hotel, in the village of Llandyssilio. Once she had realised that he was a non-conformist minister Mrs Edwards the wife of the house, told him of her concerns that there was no non-conformists in this place, and she felt that the vicar was far from evangelical in his teachings, and his morals were not beond reproach. Mr Ryan consulted with Mr J. Whitridge, Oswestry, and this led to them starting to preach in the area around 1808. The service was held in a shed belonging to Mr J. Griffiths, but because of an attack by their persecutors, they were then held in Mr Griffiths' house and because he was of higher station than most they did not dare to disturb them there. A church was established here soon after preaching began, but the chapel was not built until 1823, on land donated by Mr Griffiths, Domgay, and it was opened the following year. Mr Morris, who was mentioned in the history of Sarnau, was here for a short time, we do not have any history of his time here, but it appears that he died fairly soon. When Mr Daniel Davies took over the care of Sarnau, he also took on this church, and was here until he departed for Woolerton, in 1821. After him Mr James Peregrine came here from Bishop's Castle,he was previously in Llanfaches, Monmouthshire, as mentioned in the history of that church, he was only here for four years, although this church was united behind him, Sarnau was not, and he left for America  around 1825. Soon after Mr John Rees was inducted at Sarnau in 1825, he also took on the care of this church, and was here until he left for Cholfort in 1833. In 1836 Mr J. Griffiths, Pant, took on the care of the church, and he was here until 1850. After Mr Griffiths came Mr William Cynon Davies, a student from Brecon College, he was ordained on July 13th. 1858, and he was here until 1861, when he moved to Prees. In 1864 Mr David Evans, a student from Brecon College, was ordained, he left in 1866. The current minister Mr B. J. Harker came here in 1869. He had been raised as a Wesleyan.

Two preachers were raised here:-

• Richard Roberts, who started preaching in 1865
• Thomas Edwards, who started preaching in 1870

Our records of this church are very imperfect but it has caused us many problems to get to this point. Mr T. Jenkins gave us all the help he possibly could."