History in Structure

Llanwenarth Baptist Church

A Grade II* Listed Building in Govilon, Monmouthshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.8175 / 51°49'3"N

Longitude: -3.0652 / 3°3'54"W

OS Eastings: 326674

OS Northings: 213748

OS Grid: SO266137

Mapcode National: GBR F3.WQBG

Mapcode Global: VH795.TLF1

Plus Code: 9C3RRW9M+2W

Entry Name: Llanwenarth Baptist Church

Listing Date: 21 October 1994

Last Amended: 15 March 1996

Grade: II*

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 14933

Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

Also known as: Llanwenarth Baptist Church

ID on this website: 300014933

Location: Situated near the centre of Govilon in a large burial ground immediately north of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.

County: Monmouthshire

Community: Llanfoist Fawr (Llan-ffwyst Fawr)

Community: Llanfoist Fawr

Locality: Govilon

Built-Up Area: Govilon

Traditional County: Monmouthshire

Tagged with: Chapel

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Govilon

History

Llanwenarth is recorded as the oldest Baptist chapel in Wales; the cause was founded in 1652. The existing building is the result of several remodellings but has its origins in a chapel of 1695; in the C18 it was doubled in size and was then remodelled again, principally in 1869-70. Further renovation in 1893 and major recent restoration.

Exterior

This broad chapel has a distinctive half-hipped slate roof with rendered elevations, except to the west which is slate-hung. 2-storey, 2-window main front to south with plat band and C19 16-pane sash windows which are camber-headed to the ground floor. Offset entrance with recessed replaced doors. The downhill end has a pair of tall round-headed sash windows with horned small-pane glazing; date-stone to top. Blocked doorway to east side.
Burial ground retains a good collection of Georgian and Victorian tombstones. Boundary wall retains iron gate, in ogee Gothic style, on to canal bank.

Interior

Substantially C18 interior with gallery to three sides and box pews; the original church was the northern half of the present structure. The raked gallery has balustraded front and is carried to the front on cast-iron columns and to the middle on full height octagonal chamfered piers; the latter were inserted when the building was doubled in size and the gallery built. Simple box pews with panelled backs and doors; pews are angled to sides. Modern ceiling with roses. The pulpit, to the centre of the north wall between the tall round-headed windows, is inscribed with the following dates and initials '1706, I E 1737, R 1869, 1696 F L, 1955'. The baptistery is below; fireplace on the east wall and there are staircases to either side of lobby.

Reasons for Listing

Graded II* for the historical importance of this Baptist chapel and the surviving elements of its C18 interior.

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Chapel Cottages No 1
    Situated on the edge of the burial ground to Llanwenarth Baptist Church and immediately north of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Set back behind low rubble forecourt walls including dividing wall
  • II Chapel Cottages No 2
    Situated on the edge of the burial ground to Llanwenarth Baptist Church and immediately north of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Set back behind low rubble forecourt walls including dividing wall
  • II Chapel Cottages No 3
    Situated on the edge of the burial ground to Llanwenarth Baptist Church and immediately north of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Set back behind low rubble forecourt walls including dividing wall
  • II Govilon Bridge (Canal Bridge no 98)
    Carrying the village road over the canal to west of Llanwenarth Baptist Chapel.
  • II Govilon House
    At the corner of the main road through Govilon and a side lane up to Station Road.
  • II Derwen Deg
    Set in the slope on the southern side of Govilon, facing a lane off Station Road and sited below the line of the former railway. Set back behind rubble front wall.
  • II Barn to S of Derwen Deg
    Immediately uphill from Derwen Deg to which it is linked by the attached rubble boundary wall. Derwen Deg is on the southern side of Govilon below the line of the former railway.
  • II Railway Viaduct over Canal to SE of Govilon
    Spanning the canal at a skewed angle, to south-east of Govilon.

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