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Monmouthshire Merlin, 1849


SATURDAY JANUARY 6 1849

USK.

The half-yearly examination of the pupils of this institution took place on the 22nd ult., before the Revds. J. Irving, James Blower, and John Fleming, and Iltyd Nicholl, Esq trustees, who expressed their great gratification at the progress made during the last half-year, and kindly awarded very liberal presents to the following pupils:— 1st class. Wm. Merrett, Usk; James Haskoll and John Price, Lansoy.—2nd class. Wm. Henry Clark, Usk; John Morgan and Wm. Morgan, Glascoed; John Prichard, Gwernesney Warren Evans, Landowlais; George Edmunds, Usk.-3rd class. W. S. Stephens, Wentwood; Wm. Nicholas, Usk.— The school is conducted by the Rev. J, Farrand, M.A., Cambridge, late scholar and prizeman of his college, and wrangler of 1836. The progress made by the pupils under his charge, and the thorough knowledge they have acquired in the various branches of their studies, reflect the highest credit upon that gentleman.

SATURDAY AUGUST 11 1849

GLASCOED We have pleasure in making an announcement of the opening for divine worship of a most useful and strictly-ecclesiastical hamlet-chapel, erected with the hope of benefitting a district which has long remained in a state of utter spiritual destitution. The site was given by a farmer, and the plan gratuitously furnished by the respected hon. diocesan architect. Several of the small farmers of the place have laudably assisted in the erection of this house or prayer; and not a few neighbours and friends have kindly given their contributions to promote the good work.  It has long been the desire of the minister of the parish to carry the ordinances of religion to the poor people; but his only accommodation for that purpose, has hitherto been a cottage or a farm-house kitchen. His undertaking has however been sustained and blessed beyond his expectations; and those kind friends who may be present at the opening on the 21st, will be gratified to see a pretty little church rearing its head in the centre of a district studded with cottages and farm-houses, distant from the church of Usk, to which it is legally annexed, five miles, and separated therefrom by portions of two other parishes.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1849

GLASCOED CHAPEL-OF-EASE.-On Tuesday, the 21st, this building was opened for divine worship. The sound of a church bell, which had not been heard for many generations, was now once more heard in this sequestered hamlet. The Weather was very fine; the gentry, farmers, and peasantry, assembled in numbers, by the hour appointed for morning prayer; carriages were seen hastening to the spot from different directions; and the yeomen, farmers, and labourers, were content to leave their occupations in husbandry, that they might repair to the spot whereon their sanctuary was built. The tolling of the bell was the strangers' only guide—the little church, like the lily among the thorns, unobtrusively ornamenting the least conspicuous, though, at the same time, the most beautiful, part of the hamlet. The situation is on a gentle eminence, near the base of the hill, on which has flourished for ages, the great beech of Glascoed, which is seen by the traveller from almost all parts of the vale division of the County of Monmouth. The building is plain and simple, in the early English style, containing sitting room for one hundred and fifty persons and affording a remarkable specimen of what may be done with small means. The bell having ceased tolling, the Bishop's license was read by the Vicar of the parish and prayers being ended, the Ven. Archdeacon Crawley delivered an eloquent and impressive discourse from Psalm xlii. 4, 5, from which he deduced, that, although circumstances of an afflictive nature might justify private worship at our own houses, yet that the divine blessing was ordained more especially to attend the assembling of ourselves together in the house of God. At three o'clock, P.M., the sound of the bell was again heard, and the people were seen flocking from all parts, and the little church was again filled with devout and attentive worshippers. The whole service was performed by the Vicar of Usk, who took his text from Genesis xxviii. 17. He dwelt on the character and uses of a place of worship, and pointed out the sense in which it was the house of God, and the gate of heaven, dilating, at the same time, on the feelings and sentiments which ought to actuate our minds when assembled there for mutual prayer and edification. At six o clock, P.M., there came together another, and, if possible, more crowded congregation than either of the other two, when the Rev. Thomas Davies, M.A. of Trevethin, performed the whole service, addressing the congregation very affectingly, partly in English, and partly in Welsh, from Matthew,xviii, 20. Thus, a singular coincidence, though entirely undesigned, is observed in the sermons of the respective preachers—the duty of attending the sanctuary of God, being mainly insisted on by the first --the character of the place, and the feelings which ought to actuate our minds in the house of God, by the second—and the promised blessing of the Saviour to those who join in his worship, by the third. The praises of God were sung under the guidance of the Usk choir, and all the services passed off admirably. It was a day that will be long remembered in Glascoed—a day on which many a pious wish was fulfilled—a day fraught with promise of spiritual blessing to a place hitherto sadly neglected – a day of consolation to the old, and of hope to the rising generation. After the morning service, those who came from a distance, were refreshed by the hospitality of Mr. John Morgan, of the Hill Farm, the good and kind giver of the site, who generously offered, not a spot of ground that he knew not what to do with, but any part of his farm, and any quantity that might be required, for the purpose of raising a temple for the name of our God. May others, of larger means, imitate the example of good Mr. Morgan, and give, not merely of their abundance, but present the fruits of their self-denial, as he has done, to the Lord. A remarkable success seems to, have crowned this truly meritorious undertaking; the day of opening was one of the most interesting and delightful we have ever known of the kind—and the collection in aid of the funds, amounted to £34 6s. 2d.

We have been requested to observe that the man stated to have died on a dung-heap, last week, at the Horseshoe Inn, Bryngwyn, did not die there, but on a dung-heap near a cottage a short distance off.

I left this last piece in, even though it is a bit incongruous – it was just an interesting fact concerning someone else no doubt in Monmouthshire!

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 17 1849

PONTYPOOL

ROBBERY.-On the night of the 7th instant, Mr. John Williams, of Glascoed, had a very excellent black cart mare stolen.

(I assume that this was John Williams (1800-1852) of Ty Newydd (New House), since he was a farmer of some substance - farming 163 acres and employing four labourers).