Our history
1845
A Methodist Chapel is built on Gelliwastad Road.
1890
There are plans to build two schoolrooms alongside the Chapel. But the trustees decide against the building works, and the Chapel is cleaned and painted instead.
1892-93
The Taff Vale Railway Co. buy the chapel site at a final cost of £3200. A 999 years lease of land is offered for a chapel to be built next door.
The Wesleyan Chapel Trustees appoint architect (and Chapel member) A.O. Evans to design and build the new chapel, with a £5000 budget.
1895 – 20 June
The stone laying ceremony for the new Chapel takes place on 20th June 1895. By that time the chapel design had been amended with larger schoolrooms and an end gallery.
1896
The Chapel is registered on the 29th April, and on 4th May it is recorded as a place for religious worship. The formal opening of the Chapel takes place on 2nd July.
1904
The Japanese Bazaar is a huge success, raising over £400 for the Chapel. Annual events at the Chapel include the Harvest festival and the Chapel Anniversary Services.
1907
The Vestry is let for a ‘Day School’ at a rent of £22.10.0 per year. In preparation for this, the outside area is tidied to become a play area, and ‘current glass is replaced with plain glass’.
1909
New gas lighting is fitted for £17 by the Pontypridd Ironmongery Co.
1914-18
Services continue during the First World War, with a special collection for Pontypridd Cottage Hospital.
1921
Electric lighting is installed by the South Wales Installation Company, at a cost of £120.
1924-25
Building improvement works are ongoing, and old gas fittings, pipes and meters are taken down.
1937
The outside of the building is painted, and the heating apparatus is serviced to improve the heating. One of the schoolrooms is temporarily used as a public library.
1940
The Chapel organ is serviced and overhauled, and a new electric blower is fitted.
There are several events to support the Troops, including ‘Entertainment for the Troops’, which raise funds for provisions for WW2 soldiers.
There is also the ‘Comfort of the Troops’; an appeal for volunteers to knit garments for troops. At least 10 parcels of garments are sent to the Front.
The ‘Parcels for the Troops’ initiative results in 19 parcels being sent to past Sunday School Scholars, who are now serving with H.M. Forces.
1941-45
The Military authorities take over the Schoolroom at a rent of £25 per quarter.
The Chapel tries to procure enough coal to continue services as often as possible throughout the war.
1947
The Ministry of Works has stopped using the Chapel, and the Trustees receive £122.17.4 for repairs and alterations. The architect W.C. Lynham is appointed for the alteration works.
1948
Thanks to a very generous bequest of £2685 from the late Mrs. Mary Lloyd, a new heating apparatus is installed, the building is re-wired, and 100 new chairs are purchased for the Schoolroom.
A memorial is held for Wilfred Williams, a Chapel member who was killed serving in the RAF.
1952
The Schoolroom is hired out for rehearsals of the Pontypridd Choral Society, and the Chapel is hired for performances.
Messrs Hilliers, television dealers from Pontypridd, hires the Schoolroom for sales demonstrations.
1956-57
Due to the low number of people in the congregation, services take place in the Schoolroom rather than the Chapel.
Options to sell the Chapel are reviewed, and conversations start with the council about the purchase of the Chapel.
1958-59
The postal authorities enquire about a temporary tenancy of the building, which is turned down. The British Transport Commission agree to sell the freehold of the Chapel and its land. The organ and the pews are sold to pay for the freehold, which is required for the Chapel sale.
The Council request planning permission for the change of use of the Chapel, and pay £4900 for the building.
1962
The Council loans £22,957 from Ministry of Housing, to pay for adapting the Chapel into an all-purpose Municipal Hall. There are debates about the sale of alcohol in the old Wesleyan Chapel.
1963
23 November: the new Municipal Hall hosts its first concert, with performances by local choirs and schoolchildren.
1966
The Who perform at the Municipal Hall, followed by a variety of events and performances.
1982
The Municipal Hall is closed for 4 months whilst building works take place to improve the facilities.
1990
The Municipal Hall becomes the Muni Arts Centre.
1998-99
Max Boyce performs at The Muni, one of many concerts. There are also a variety of pantomimes and theatrical performances over the years, as well as film screenings.
2006-12
The Muni hosts a rock project, with students using the hall for photo and video shoots.
There are three performances of ‘We Will Rock You’, as well as concerts by the likes of Cerys Matthews and 10CC. Many comedians grace the Muni stage too, including Chris Corcoran, Rich Hall, Jon Richardson and Rhod Gilbert.
2014
A new consortium of private, public and charitable organisations take on the management of The Muni.
2016
A big reopening concert takes place headlined by three local bands: Peasant’s King, The People the Poet, and Climbing Trees.
Other concerts follow, including Lower than Atlantis and Wolf Alice.
2018
The Muni is closed to the public.
2019
RCTCBC announces Awen Cultural Trust as its preferred bidder to secure a sustainable and positive future for the Muni.
2023
Y Muni is allocated £5.3 million from the UK Government ‘Levelling Up’ fund to redevelop and reopen the venue by 2024.
With thanks to:
- Pontypridd Library
- Pontypridd Museum
- RCT Archives
- Darren Griffiths-Warner
- The Glamorgan Archives
- National Library of Scotland maps