Addoldai Cymru, The Welsh Religious Buildings Trust is pleased to announce that the acquisition of the Friends (Quaker) Meeting House, ‘The Pales’, Llandegley, is now complete. We would like to take the opportunity to thank the Pales Management Group for all their support. It has been a pleasure working with them all and we very much hope that we will continue to build on this relationship into the future.
Listed grade II*, the Pales is located on a picturesque Radnorshire hillside. It is one of the earliest Quaker meeting houses in Wales and played an important role in the early history of Quakerism in Radnorshire.
It owes its name to the adjacent enclosed burial ground granted a 1,000 year lease in 1673. Despite persecution, meetings were held at the site from that time, and the present meeting house was eventually built c1745 (or perhaps earlier in 1717). It is one of the earliest Quaker meeting houses in Wales and played an important role in the early history of Quakerism in Radnorshire.
A school serving the local community was run in the Meeting House between 1867 and 1889, For several years in the 1870s, the schoolmaster was an evangelical American Quaker, Yardley Warner, who was visiting the UK in his capacity as an advocate and fund-raiser for the rights of slaves and ex-slaves in the United States. The cottage attached to the meeting house was built for Warner and his English wife Anne, who continued his work after his death.
The Trust has to date acquired 10 Nonconformist chapel buildings across Wales and as the 11th building within our care, the Pales’ future will be secured for the Welsh nation. It will continue to be an accessible asset for many years to come, both to the local community and to Quakers, a new chapter in the life of for this historic building.
We are also organising an open day on Wednesday 6th September between 1.00-4.00pm where there will be ‘tea and cakes’ locally baked by the Thomas shop, Penybont. You would all be very welcome to join us.
To arrange use of the building in the future, please contact Addoldai Cymru at post@addoldaicymru.org or 01656 734940.
