Capel Salem, including forecourt gates and railings, Caernarfon, Gwynedd

History

An Independent chapel built in 1862 (date on building). The present stair towers and porch, which are not shown on the 1890 Ordnance Survey, were added in the last decade of the C19 and are shown on the 1900 Ordnance Survey, possibly in 1891 by Owen Morris Roberts.

Exterior

A classical style chapel with a façade of snecked stone and lighter freestone dressings, and slate roof behind a coped gable. The 5-bay front incorporates projecting outer stair towers in line with vestibules and open lean-to porch added to the original facade. The porch has a Serliana corresponding to the central bay of the chapel. It has rusticated quoins, round columns and a keyed moulded arch with outer moulded lintels. It is surmounted by a coped gable with tablet of 1955 commemorating a former minister, and iron finial. The lean-to roof, of frosted glass, is concealed behind the gable and a low parapet. To the L and R are slightly projecting vestibules that each have a pair of 2-light round-headed windows with a central colonnette of polished pink granite with foliage capital. Inside the porch is a 2-light window with similar polished-granite colonnette and capitals. On the R side of the window is a marble 1914-18 war commemorative tablet. To the sides the vestibules have panelled doors under overlights with glazing bars.

Behind the porch are the full-height Tuscan pilasters of the earlier façade. These have entablature and cornice in the outer bays, while the central bay has a rusticated glorification arch in the pediment. The entablature is inscribed 'Congregational Chapel 1862' but the first letter and last numeral have been re-set into the sides of the projecting towers. Gallery windows are Italianate with keystones and capitals to moulded heads. The window in the central bay has 2 main lights with narrow arched flanking lights, with sill band, while the outer bays have 2-light windows. The tympanum of the glorification arch has a panel with 'Salem' in raised letters beneath a segmental pediment framing scalloped ornament.

The projecting 3-stage stair towers are rectangular in plan, with the narrow sides facing the front. In the lower stage the front has a pair of windows under shouldered lintels, while the outer sides have a margin-lit window under a shouldered lintel. The middle stage has a tall 2-light window with central polished pink granite ringed colonnette with foliage capital, under a keyed moulded head, and round-headed margin-lit windows to the outer sides with similar moulded heads, while the inner sides have leaded lights. The upper stage has, above a blank entablature and cornice continuous with the pediment of the main chapel, 2 round-headed windows with keystones and capitals, with a single window to the inner sides and similar triple windows to the outer sides. Pyramidal slate roofs are on a moulded stone cornice, and incorporate bands of diamond slates below an apex iron finial.

The forecourt, restricted by the late C19 additions to the front, has segmental double iron gates to hollow cast iron piers, flanked by similar single gates and further piers. The piers have narrow X-shaped panels enriched by scrollwork, while the gates have X-shaped panels to the dog bars. Railings to the R and L are on dwarf rubble-stone walls with freestone coping and terminate in square freestone piers with moulded capitals. On both sides the forecourt railings return to the sides of the towers, where there are similar terminal piers.

The 5-bay side walls are roughcast on a coursed rubble-stone basement, where the ground level falls at the rear. The chapel is lit by tall round-headed windows in architraves with sill band, which incorporate Italianate tracery and 2 tiers of 4-pane sashes. The basement has segmental 4-pane sashes. In the R side wall the bay L of centre has a boarded door while a second boarded door is set in from the R-hand bay. The rear has a narrower gabled projection housing the organ and vestry. Its side walls have a tall 2-light window with Italianate tracery above, on the R side, 2-pane sash windows to a passage below the organ and the basement. In the L side wall are two 4-pane sash windows to the vestry, while the basement has a 4-pane sash window to the R and boarded door with overlight to the L. The gable end has a 4-pane sash to the R of an external stack (reduced to below the eaves) to the vestry and basement.

Interior

Each vestibule has double panel doors to the chapel and stairs to the gallery. The stairs have turned balusters and newels. They are reached through lintelled openings with plaster panelled soffit and enriched head consoles. The chapel has interior detail and fittings of 1862, but the set fawr, pulpit and organ are late C19. A 3-sided raked gallery has fluted cast iron posts and foliage capitals. It projects on a dentilled cornice and has a front of panels framed by panelled pilasters. The date 1862 is painted beneath the replaced clock. The plaster ceiling has a moulded cornice and an arched coving with relief latticework to a higher cornice framing the panelled ceiling. This has marginal panels with slender ribs, and diagonal ribs to a central rich ceiling rose. The rere arch of the window facing the porch has Corinthian pilasters capitals and a moulded arch with foliage-enriched keystone. The window has stained glass. The organ recess has similar Corinthian pilasters, while the recess has a ribbed ceiling with central pendant and side windows with stained glass.

Low panelled box pews are retained, with original umbrella holders. Other furnishings are late C19. The set fawr has a balustrade over a panelled base. The pulpit has 2 round arches and is flanked by an arcaded balustrade and steps with turned balusters. Behind it is a rich panelled reredos below the organ incorporating fretwork ornamentation.

A panelled door to the R of the set fawr leads to the rear vestry and the hall in the basement. The basement has simple cast iron columns.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a prominent and well-designed C19 chapel retaining original character and detail, and for its contribution to the historic townscape.

External Links

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