150-year-old time capsule discovered at a ruined chapel

Newtown Town Council has authorised officers to arrange for a 150-year-old time capsule discovered in the ruins of the demolished Bethel Chapel to be relocated to the Montgomeryshire Archives.

It follows years of attempts to contact the building's former owner.

The glass bottle containing a newspaper from 1875 and other historical documents was unearthed by demolition workers in 2021 after the chapel's roof collapsed due to years of neglect. 

The report stated that "the glass bottle appears to have been placed at the site as a 'time capsule' as it features a newspaper from 1875 and some other documents from around the time the chapel was built."

At a meeting this week, councillors agreed to officers' recommendations to transfer the artefact to Powys County Council's Montgomeryshire Archive at Newtown Library, where staff have expressed keen interest in housing and displaying the historical item for public viewing. 

The report noted that "informal conversations with archive staff at Powys County Council / Newtown Library suggest that they would be keen to take responsibility for housing and displaying the artifact, in order for it to be seen and appreciated as widely as possible."

The time capsule's discovery marks the final chapter in the troubled history of the Gothic-style Bethel Chapel on New Road, which became a symbol of architectural neglect in the town centre. The chapel, designed by distinguished Liverpool architect Richard Owens and built at a cost of £2,300, once seated approximately 450 worshippers and served as the third Welsh Calvinist Methodist chapel in Newtown.

However, by 2015, urban explorers were already documenting significant deterioration, with holes in the roof causing major structural rot and sections of the upper balcony collapsing under their own weight. By 2018, parts of the ground floor had given way, and the building continued to deteriorate despite being located on a busy main road.

Newtown Town Council had repeatedly warned Powys County Council about the building's dangerous condition. The report referenced how "councillors will recall the unfortunate collapse of the roof of the Bethel Chapel on New Road in September 2021 (despite town council raising concerns to the local authority) and the subsequent demolition of the building."

The collapse came in September 2021 when approximately half of the roof caved in overnight during heavy rain, forcing emergency services to close New Road - the former A483 - amid fears that more of the building could fall onto the carriageway.

Conservation Architect Doug Hughes described the collapse as "a stark reminder of the state of many abandoned older buildings throughout the region," highlighting how architectural heritage was being eroded as historic buildings fall into decay. 

He noted that buildings like Bethel Chapel often "fall between the gaps" of listed building protection, despite their historical and architectural significance.

The chapel's demise contrasted sharply with its original prominence in Newtown's religious landscape. Constructed as part of the town's Nonconformist building boom in the late 19th century, it stood opposite St David's Anglican Church and adjacent to what would become Zion English Baptist Chapel, creating a focal point of religious architecture on New Road.

Town Council officers wrote to the building's registered owner in July 2023, explaining the time capsule's discovery and offering to donate it to local historical societies. According to the report, officers had "written to the owner of the former chapel as listed at HM Registry and also sought the views of senior staff at Newtown Library."

The letter stated that the bottle "contains a note mentioning a memorial stone which was placed at the site to celebrate the building of the chapel" and requested permission to pass the items to heritage organisations. 

It warned that "if we do not receive a response to this letter within three months we will make arrangements for the artifacts to be passed over to a local heritage society who can ensure their safekeeping."

Despite nearly two years since that correspondence, no response has been received from the former owner. The report confirmed that "there has been no response from the former building owner in several years to the (attached) letter." It noted that "as the town council does not own the artefact, it is not in a position to formally transfer ownership but council may authorise officers to further liaise with archive staff at Newtown Library."