Turquoise Organ Chapel, Wales

The Turquoise Organ Chapel is a disused Welsh chapel. It is a beautiful example of a traditional Non-Conformist Welsh chapel, complete with ornate organ. This chapel ceased religious services in the late 1990s. Subsequently, it was sold at auction. A local artist purchased the site. He has plans to renovate and bring the chapel into use as an art and community venue. I visited this chapel in 2017, with permission from the owner. You can view more Welsh chapel photos here.

The wooden octagonal pulpit features modest carvings. Behind the pulpit is the beautiful ornate organ. Decorative Corinthian pillars flank the organ. The roof is divided into 15 square panels, heavily decorated by plaster moldings. At the center of each panel is an ornate ceiling rose. Many of ceiling roses feature cleverly concealed ventilation panels in the middle, as well as offering anchor points for the pendant light fittings.

History of the Turquoise Organ Chapel

Welsh Methodists built a chapel on this site in the 1840s. They discussed setting up a colony across the Atlantic, in South America. They felt that many Welsh-originated migrants in North America had forsaken their Welsh heritage. Additionally, this colony would have a Welsh non-conformist chapel, like this one.

Determined to establish Welsh culture in these new southern American colonies, they sent their most prominent emissary to Patagonia. Following this 160 new Welsh settlers arrived in South American in the 1860s. Their voyage was eventful. A violent storm stuck soon they set sail, blowing them off course.

Their hardships did not end when they arrived in the new world. They arrived to poor water and food supplies, and inadequate shelter. In addition to this, Winter was approaching. The hostile plains of South America were difficult to farm, but in time they grew enough crops to begin trading.

Welsh is still spoken in Patagonia today; a testament to the determination of this small congregation.