History

There has been a Baptist presence at Rhydwilym since the 1660s, and a chapel since 1701. Plaque on front of building records that a chapel of 1763 was rebuilt in 1841, then rebuilt and enlarged in 1875. The present building is entirely in keeping with a date of 1875. Historically Rhydwilym was the mother church of all Baptist churches in Pembrokeshire, western Carmarthenshire, and most of southern Ceredigion.

Exterior

A rubble-stone chapel with a slate roof on bracketed eaves. The gable-end front has rock-faced quoins and dressings. Round-headed windows are margin-lit small-pane horned sashes. The central round-headed doorway has panelled double doors beneath a radial-glazed overlight. Above it are 2 narrow, small windows lighting the gallery, with large windows to the L and R. In the gable is a blind oculus above an inscription tablet. The side walls, of which the L-hand is slate-hung, have 2 large windows, with a similar pair of windows to the rear.

Interior

Entrance doors give on to a lobby with open wooden stairs to each side. Four-panelled doors lead to the body of the chapel, either side of a window with coloured glass. Above the window an C18 plaque from the earlier chapel records the foundation of the chapel by John Evans. The main chapel has a ribbed and diapered flat ceiling (the ceiling rose was removed in the 1930s). Windows have hood moulds. The 3-sided gallery has a panelled wooden front, and stands on iron columns from "T JONES PRIORY FOUNDRY CARMARTHEN". Three banks of pine pews. The pulpit has flanking stairs with turned balusters and a reredos with broken segmental pediment on Ionic columns with simulated granite shafts.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a good unspoilt example of later C19 rural chapel on a historic site, forming part of group including stable and schoolroom, and former chapel house.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q13131066

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

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey