.. The Well Centre - Station road - Pontnewydd ..
Reverend Mike Endicott relates:
The site freehold belongs to the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Wales. It was originally acquired by them in 1905 to provide an extra place of worship during the Welsh Revival of 1904. At that time the various churches in Pontnewydd were carrying out 2000 Baptisms per week!
By 1935 the original corrugated iron building had long ago been replaced by a brick church, consisting only of the large room under the main roof. Then were added a single storey extension along the west and north walls.
With the advent of war, the church was taken over by government and became the local Benefit Office for the distribution of such things as food rationing coupons and orange juice for children.
After the war the building remained in use as a benefit office, gradually ceasing its old role and turning itself into a Labour Exchange to help the settling of returning men from the war and the just beginning influx of investment in South Wales.
In the 1950's, when the Cwmbran new town was being constructed, provision was made within it for a Job Centre and thus the building in the village of Pontnewydd became redundant. It was then leased to a church grouping referred to as New Life Fellowship and it remained under their use until the mid 90's.
With the demise of that local church, the building was left empty for some while attracting the usual vandalism and general deterioration that resulted.
So it was in the 90's that we found it in a somewhat dilapidated condition and it has now grown into the headquarters of a flourishing international religious Order, ( Jacob`s Well ) under the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the watchful eye of the Bishop of Monmouth, concerned with bringing healing and wholeness to those who need it through prayer.
It is intended in the Spring 2007, to open its doors to local non-church people who might find their way to us for that reason.
So, in that sense, it is still a benefit office!
Lawrence Skuse relates:
This is the old Presbyterian Chapel in Station Road Pontnewydd, now the Well Centre, and well I remember it as the Labour Exchange, once signing on there for "dole" more years ago than I care to remember. Where the housing estate next to it now is, there used to be before the war, so I was told, the local cinema.
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