Even though the chapel wasn’t built until 1815, in 1791, local baptists began gathering for worship at Lower Millbrook Farm, Llanvaches, under a licence granted to the Rev. Thomas Evans of Caerleon by the Bishop of Llandaff and he would administer the Lord’s Supper in the kitchen of the farmhouse. It seems that they had met in other places over the years. A further license was granted in 1807 for them to be able to meet for worship at the house of Silvanus Evans at the hamlet of Carrow Hill.
It was reported that a revival took place at the now closed baptist church in Caerleon under the Rev. Thomas Evans between the years 1813-15. The result was that those who were already meeting for worship at Caerwent would officially come out of the church at Caerleon to plant a church. In 1815, the chapel was built with the opening ceremony conducted by the president of Abergavenny Academy, Micah Thomas. Forty-one people in all joined Caerwent Baptist Church from the mother church, Caerleon Baptist Church.
Caerwent was a small village—in 1821 only 394 people lived in 68 houses—and apparently a miserable village at that. The first pastor was the Rev. Rees Davies of Aberdare. Below is the list of all the pastors the church has had since 1815.
1815 - 1821 - Rev. Rees Davies
1821 - 1834 - Rev. William John
1834 - 1838 - Rev. William Jones
1838 - 1840 - Rev. John Lawrence
1840 - 1842 - No Full-time Pastor
1842 - 1845 - T.W. Todd (Student Pastor)
1845 - 1847 - No full-time Pastor
1847 - 1857 - Rev. John Morgan
1857 - 1876 - Rev. Samuel Peacock
1876 - 1881 - Rev. J. Berryman
1881 - 1888 - Rev. Stephen Jenkins
1888 - 1907 - Rev. J. Berryman
1907 - 1914 - Rev. J. Berryman (reinstated)
1914 - 1915 - Rev. J. Berryman acted as the unofficial moderator
1915 - 1920 - Rev. J.E. Brett (joint pastorate with Chepstow Baptist Church)
1920 - 1927 - Rev. J.E. Collier (joint pastorate with Chepstow Baptist Church)
1927 - 1938 - No full-time Pastor (Rev. J.D. Ingram from Newport acted as a moderator)
1932 - 1942 - No full-time Pastor (Barry staff and students helped)
1942 - 1944 - Rev. Vaughan Miles
1944 - 1955 - No full-time Pastor
1955 - 1962 - Rev. J.D. Monger (shared pastorate with Magor Baptist Church)
1962 - 1965 - Rev. John Griffiths (joint pastorate with Chepstow Baptist Church)
1965 - 1972 - No full-time Pastor
1972 - 1975 - Rev. Stephen Richards
1975 - 1977 - No full-time Pastor
1977 - 2016 - Rev. Eddie Jones
2017 - present - Rev. Gwydion Emlyn
The church is currently under the pastoral care of Pastor Gwydion Emlyn. We are a growing fellowship and pray that we would continue to grow as we seek to glorify God and exalt the name of Jesus Christ in our community.
