History in Structure

Calfaria Chapel

A Grade II Listed Building in Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.7119 / 51°42'42"N

Longitude: -3.446 / 3°26'45"W

OS Eastings: 300189

OS Northings: 202456

OS Grid: SO001024

Mapcode National: GBR HK.3CX9

Mapcode Global: VH6D3.772G

Plus Code: 9C3RPH63+QH

Entry Name: Calfaria Chapel

Listing Date: 10 January 1991

Last Amended: 10 January 1991

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 10860

Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

Also known as: Calfaria Chapel,Monk Street
Calfaria Baptist Chapel

ID on this website: 300010860

Location: Above the road and set back behind burial ground. Side elevation to Griffith Street.

County: Rhondda Cynon Taff

Community: Aberdare (Aberdâr)

Community: Aberdare East

Built-Up Area: Aberdare

Traditional County: Glamorgan

Tagged with: Church building Chapel

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Aberdare

History

Built l851 at a cost of £1,400 - may have been designed by Rev William Lewis. Hall added in l871.

Exterior

Classical 3-bay front with pediment treatment, broken by advanced full height central bay. Coursed rubble with freestone dressings, including moulded cornice, quoins and plinth; slate roof with some cresting and boarded eaves. Stone roundel with bricked up quatrefoil to top over datestone with swags. Larger central wheel window with swept freestone surround main entrance below with deeply moulded round arched surround and panelled doors with intersecting Gothic fanlight, semi circular steps. Horned small pane sashes to outer bays with marginal glazing bars; cornices and blind panelled aprons to gallery, voussoirs to ground floor. The 'façade' is continued around the corners; 4-bay side elevations with high plinth serving as ground floor sill, similar sash windows, round arched over square headed.
Hall (dated l871) is set transversely and projects to either side at the far end; snecked rubble and slate roof. 3-bay gabled front facing Griffith Street. Tall round arched windows with glazing bars and 'Y' shaped heads, central panelled doors with intersecting tracery fanlight. Horned 12 pane sashes to cement render rear.

Burial ground containing some good later Cl9 monuments including one to the notable Dr Thomas Price; bordered by a rubble wall to Monk Street and sloping up Griffith Street with rounded coping. 2 entrances, the main one being in Monk Street with gate piers capped by glass lamps on metal bases (missing to right); Griffiths Street entrance is opposite the Bethania Ysgoldy.

Interior

Rectangular interior with coved and boarded ceiling; roses to corners and centre and diamond shaped panel to centre with plaster foliage detail; bracket cornice. Raked gallery, projecting far into the church carried on cast iron columns; bowed cast iron gallery front with intricate foliage. The platform and steps up to 'set fawr' have cast iron newels with gilding and ball finials; barley twist balusters. Baptistery beneath. Simple Gothic organ case. Hall to rear has 5-bay roof; boarded ceiling with edges and billet moulded cornice. Gallery to one end with panelled timber front swept round at ends.

Reasons for Listing

Group value with Bethania Chapel.

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 Hall attached to Calfaria Chapel
    Above the road and set back behind burial ground. Side elevation to Griffith Street.
  • II Sunday School attached to Bethania Chapel
    High above the street facing NE; hall to rear facing Griffith Street. On sloping site; 2 flights of steps to the forecourt beside No l0l.
  • II Bethania Chapel
    High above the street facing NE; hall to rear facing Griffith Street. On sloping site; 2 flights of steps to the forecourt beside No l0l.
  • II The Black Lion Hotel
    Prominently sited facing NE down Victoria Square; on corner with Monk Street. Iron railings to the front. Formerly with long garden stretching down the hill.
  • II Pedestal and Statue of "Caradog"
    At the top end of the square on an island site in front of the Black Lion Hotel. Reset on modern platform with sunken forecourt (ca 1962).
  • II* St Elvan's Church
    Prominently set in a small churchyard on an eminence in the centre of the town. Reached from Victoria Square, up Church Street and from Canon Street.
  • II Milestone
    Set back at the bend in the road in front of the Public Library. Reset into a modern circular brick paved platform; originally at the top end of Victoria Square.
  • II Catholic Church of St Joseph
    On the W side of Monk Street, at its S end on the junction with Pendarren Street.

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