Tabernacle Congregational Chapel in Middle Street, Rosemarket, was built sometime before 1800. It was then re-built in 1831 and restored in 1885. The present chapel is built in the Romanesque/Simple Round-Headed style with a gable entry plan.
Records show a once thriving chapel community in Rosemarket. The Religious Census of 1851 detailed 110 people present for the morning service and 75 for the evening service. The minister recorded that both morning and evening attendance was 30 less than usual, due mainly to “atrocious weather”.
In 1887, a deed was drawn up for the conveyance of land by the Lawrenny Estate to Rosemarket Chapel for use as a burial ground.
A further history of the chapel was detailed at the time of the Centenary Celebrations of 1931. Achievements included the building of a school room in 1921/1922 and the installation of a new organ in 1927. Dwindling membership around this time was blamed upon the coming of the railway.
The first recorded Minister of Tabernacle Chapel was Rev. Arnold Davies, who served between the years of 1802 and 1815. Rev. Davies was “born in lowly circumstances at Wolfscastle in 1772”. He worked as a farm labourer and became a teacher before his ordination.
The last recorded Minister was Rev. D Williams in 1982. Rev. Williams also had ministerial responsibilities in Hook and Neyland.
The chapel closed in 1998. It was sold in 2000 and subsequently converted into a private residence.
The adjoining graveyard is now a decommissioned burial ground. It was retained by the United Reformed Church (Wales) Trust until the beginning of 2023, when it passed into the custodial trusteeship of a local resident. Rosemarket Local History Society and Pembrokeshire Archives are assisting with research into burial records, with investigations ongoing.
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