This article is about the Welsh architect. For the American architect, see T. Thomas and Son.
Thomas Thomas (1817 – 16 March 1888) was a Welsh church minister and chapelarchitect, also known as Thomas Glandŵr (Thomas Landore). He is described as "the first national architect of Wales"[1] and the "unchallenged master of chapel architecture in Wales in the 1860s".[2]
Thomas Thomas was born in 1817 and brought up near Ffairfach, at Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. His father ran a carpentry business, where Thomas worked before moving to Swansea.[3]
Religious ministryedit
Though he had no formal training he was appointed as a chapel minister in Clydach in 1848, a post which he held until 1853.[3] Reverend Thomas subsequently became a Congregational minister at Landore, Swansea, until he resigned in 1875. It has been conjectured that he resigned after it was discovered he was the owner of sub-standard workers housing in north Swansea.[2]
Architectureedit
Thomas was also known an architect and began designing chapels in 1848 and continued through the chapel-building boom of the 1860s and '70s, designing not only for his own Congregational denomination but for others too.[4] He had redesigned Landore's own Siloh Chapel in 1860. The New Siloh Chapel (1878) in Landore was, however, designed after Thomas's resignation by Thomas Freeman who had been a builder and surveyor of the Reverend Thomas's earlier chapels.[2]
Thomas Thomas is credited with at least 119 chapels across Wales. He also made sure he garnered the distinction of preaching the first sermon (or one of the first sermons) at each of his new chapels.[4] His trademark design feature of chapels was the giant arch in the pediment on the facade of his buildings. He also invented the stylistic interior feature of dipping the chapel gallery behind the preacher's pulpit.[4]
Later lifeedit
After resigning as a church minister, Thomas moved to Mumbles. He died there on 16 March 1888 and was buried at Sketty.[2]
^ abcde"Thomas Thomas: First National Architect of Wales". The Story of Nonconformity in Wales (Welsh Religious Buildings Trust). Retrieved 6 February 2016.
^"Saron Congregational Chapel, including attached schoolroom, Tredegar". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Capel Tabernacl, Cyngor Bro Dyffryn Cennen". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Capel Salem, including attached Sunday School, forecourt gates and railings and hall to rear, Porthmadog". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Sardis Independent Chapel and attached schoolroom, Ystradgynlais". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Capel Mair, including forecourt railings, St Clears". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Hermon Chapel, Oswestry". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Camden Court, Brecon". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Seion Independent Chapel, Seion Hill, Llandysul". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Hope Independent Chapel, Pontardulais". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Jerusalem Independent Chapel, Resolven". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Tabor United Reformed Church, Maesycwmmer". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Mount Pleasant Baptist Chapel, Pembroke". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Capel Salem, Llangennech". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
^"Providence Independent Chapel, vestry, house and railed forecourt., Llangadog". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
Hughes, Stephen. "Thomas Thomas - First National Architect of Wales". The story of Nonconformity in Wales. Addoldai Cymru (Welsh Religious Buildings Trust).
January 01, 1970
thomas, thomas, architect, this, article, about, welsh, architect, american, architect, thomas, thomas, thomas, 1817, march, 1888, welsh, church, minister, chapel, architect, also, known, thomas, glandŵr, thomas, landore, described, first, national, architect,. This article is about the Welsh architect For the American architect see T Thomas and Son Thomas Thomas 1817 16 March 1888 was a Welsh church minister and chapel architect also known as Thomas Glandŵr Thomas Landore He is described as the first national architect of Wales 1 and the unchallenged master of chapel architecture in Wales in the 1860s 2 Thomas ThomasPortrait photograph by John Thomas c 1875 Born1817 1817 Llandeilo CarmarthenshireDied16 March 1888 1888 03 16 aged 70 71 Mumbles SwanseaNationalityWelshOther namesThomas GlandŵrThomas LandoreOccupation s Church minister and chapel architect Saron Welsh Independent Chapel Tredegar Brecon Congregational Memorial College Contents 1 Early life 2 Religious ministry 3 Architecture 4 Later life 5 Notable works 6 References 7 Sources 8 Further readingEarly life editThomas Thomas was born in 1817 and brought up near Ffairfach at Llandeilo Carmarthenshire His father ran a carpentry business where Thomas worked before moving to Swansea 3 Religious ministry editThough he had no formal training he was appointed as a chapel minister in Clydach in 1848 a post which he held until 1853 3 Reverend Thomas subsequently became a Congregational minister at Landore Swansea until he resigned in 1875 It has been conjectured that he resigned after it was discovered he was the owner of sub standard workers housing in north Swansea 2 Architecture editThomas was also known an architect and began designing chapels in 1848 and continued through the chapel building boom of the 1860s and 70s designing not only for his own Congregational denomination but for others too 4 He had redesigned Landore s own Siloh Chapel in 1860 The New Siloh Chapel 1878 in Landore was however designed after Thomas s resignation by Thomas Freeman who had been a builder and surveyor of the Reverend Thomas s earlier chapels 2 Thomas Thomas is credited with at least 119 chapels across Wales He also made sure he garnered the distinction of preaching the first sermon or one of the first sermons at each of his new chapels 4 His trademark design feature of chapels was the giant arch in the pediment on the facade of his buildings He also invented the stylistic interior feature of dipping the chapel gallery behind the preacher s pulpit 4 Later life editAfter resigning as a church minister Thomas moved to Mumbles He died there on 16 March 1888 and was buried at Sketty 2 Notable works edit nbsp Hermon Chapel Oswestry Capel Bethel Llansamlet Swansea Glamorgan 1849 51 and 1879 80 5 Capel Als Llanelli Carmarthenshire 1852 3 6 Saron Welsh Independent Chapel Tredegar Monmouthshire 1858 7 8 Capel Tabernacl Ffairfach Carmarthenshire 1860 9 Salem Welsh Independent Chapel Porthmadog Caernarfonshire 1860 3 10 Sardis Independent Chapel and Schoolroom Ystradgynlais Brecknockshire 1860 1 11 Carmel Welsh Independent Chapel Porth Amlwch Anglesey 1861 2 3 Capel Mair St Clears Carmarthenshire 1862 12 Ebenezer Welsh Independent Chapel cy Swansea Glamorgan 1862 7 Hermon Chapel and Sunday School Oswestry Shropshire England 1862 now Grade II listed 13 Brecon Congregational Memorial College Brecknockshire 1869 a college until 1959 later converted into flats 14 Seion Independent Chapel Llandysul Cardiganshire 1870 1 15 Hope Independent Chapel Pontardulais Swansea 1872 16 Jerusalem Independent Chapel Resolven Glamorgan 1876 17 Tabor United Reformed Church Maesycwmmer Monmouthshire 1876 now Grade II listed 18 Mount Pleasant Baptist Chapel Pembroke Pembrokeshire 1878 19 Capel Salem Llangennech Carmarthenshire 1879 20 Providence Independent Chapel and house Llangadog Carmarthenshire 1883 4 21 Bethania Welsh Independent Chapel Bethesda Caernarfonshire 3 Bethesda Chapel Llanwrtyd Wells Powys enlarged rebuilt in 1907 by Beddoe Rees also known as Bethel Chapel 22 References edit Thomas Thomas 1817 1888 Stained Glass in Wales University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh amp Celtic Studies Retrieved 6 February 2016 a b c d Hughes 2000 p 281 a b c d e Thomas Thomas First National Architect of Wales The Story of Nonconformity in Wales Welsh Religious Buildings Trust Retrieved 6 February 2016 a b c Hughes 2000 p pages 271 6 Capel Bethel including forecourt walls gates and railings Llansamlet British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Capel Als including Railings piers amp Gates to Chapel Enclosure marble Hall Road Llanelli British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 a b Hughes 2000 p 275 Saron Congregational Chapel including attached schoolroom Tredegar British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Capel Tabernacl Cyngor Bro Dyffryn Cennen British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Capel Salem including attached Sunday School forecourt gates and railings and hall to rear Porthmadog British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Sardis Independent Chapel and attached schoolroom Ystradgynlais British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Capel Mair including forecourt railings St Clears British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Hermon Chapel Oswestry British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Camden Court Brecon British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Seion Independent Chapel Seion Hill Llandysul British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Hope Independent Chapel Pontardulais British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Jerusalem Independent Chapel Resolven British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Tabor United Reformed Church Maesycwmmer British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Mount Pleasant Baptist Chapel Pembroke British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Capel Salem Llangennech British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Providence Independent Chapel vestry house and railed forecourt Llangadog British Listed Buildings Retrieved 7 February 2016 Bethesda Chapel Welsh Calvinistic Methodist bethel Irfon Crescent Llanwrtyd Wells 6131 Coflein RCAHMW Retrieved 30 September 2021 Sources editHughes Stephen 2000 Copperopolis Landscapes of the Early Industrial Period in Swansea Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales ISBN 978 1871184327Further reading editHughes Stephen Thomas Thomas First National Architect of Wales The story of Nonconformity in Wales Addoldai Cymru Welsh Religious Buildings Trust Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Thomas architect amp oldid 1161784512, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
