History

Founded in 1842, the present chapel was built in 1867 (dates on building) by Richard Owen, architect of Liverpool. The contractor was Evan Jones of Dolyd and the cost was £4579. A chapel had existed on the site since 1842 and here in 1856 the decision was taken by a group of Noncomformists to establish a settlement in Patagonia.

Exterior

A classical style chapel with a 5-bay 2-storey front. Of cyclopean rubble stone, freestone dressings and rock-faced rusticated quoins. The upper-storey bays are framed by rusticated pilaster strips, thinner to the central bay which is slightly recessed beneath a 'glorification arch' within the pediment. The pedimented gable has a moulded cornice and eaves. A central 3-bay portico stands on a plinth of rock-faced and cyclopean rubble stone. It has Tuscan columns, dated inscription to the entablature, and a parapet with balustrade. Inside the portico are 3 round-headed doorways, the central larger, which have plain jambs and a moulded impost band carried over the keyed heads, and over the outer bays. Each has double panelled doors and 2-pane overlights. The windows are all hornless sashes with margin glazing. The outer bays have segmental-headed windows in the lower storey. The gallery windows have keyed round heads with a moulded impost band carried over the windows and a sill band. Another moulded band is between storeys.

The plinth carrying the portico is ramped at the R end where there are stone steps, and on both sides terminates with freestone square stepped gate piers with iron gates and arched iron overthrows enriched with scrollwork. The gates incorporate twisted bars and fleur-de-lis finials. Railings continuous across the portico have similar detail, and all cast by Williams of Liverpool.

Set back to the R and L of the chapel front are screen walls with doorways, roughcast with double doors to the L, pebble-dashed with boarded door to the R. The 6-window side walls have moulded stone eaves. In the pebble-dashed R side wall the windows are mainly boarded up, but the gallery retains 3 small-pane margin-lit sashes to the L side. The L side wall is of coursed rubble and also has windows mainly boarded up but retains 3 margin-lit gallery sashes. The rear is pebble-dashed has a central projection with hipped slate roof. Segmental-headed margin-lit sash windows are upper R and L and lower L. A single-storey pebble-dashed hall is attached to the R side of the rear.

Interior

The fine rectangular interior has profuse classical detail. A raked gallery with curved and panelled front is carried on cast iron columns with brackets and foliage capitals. The coffered ceiling has ornate roses and deep dentillated ribs. The organ chamber has an arched surround with double fluted pilasters and panelled soffit. The pulpit is octagonal. The set fawr and set canu are retained, with turned balusters. The basement has a minister's room to the L and attached beyond are offices and the 5-bay schoolroom.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a well-designed and imposing classical chapel that makes a substantial contribution to the historic townscape.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29483897

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

• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)