History in Structure

Bethesda Capel Bach

A Grade II Listed Building in Llangennech, Carmarthenshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.6979 / 51°41'52"N

Longitude: -4.0856 / 4°5'8"W

OS Eastings: 255960

OS Northings: 201970

OS Grid: SN559019

Mapcode National: GBR GV.84DN

Mapcode Global: VH4JV.4LG6

Plus Code: 9C3QMWX7+5Q

Entry Name: Bethesda Capel Bach

Listing Date: 12 January 1999

Last Amended: 12 January 1999

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 21097

Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

ID on this website: 300021097

Location: At the south-east corner of the graveyard of Bethesda Chapel, in Llangennech village 150m north of St Cennych's Church. Wrought iron gates with wrought iron railings on a plinth wall facing the street

County: Carmarthenshire

Community: Llangennech

Community: Llangennech

Locality: Llangennech Village

Built-Up Area: Llangennech

Traditional County: Carmarthenshire

Tagged with: Chapel

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History

The Independents in Llangennech formed themselves into a church in the early C19 under the mother church of Llanedi. In 1829 the squire, E R Tunno, granted a lease of the site for their chapel for 100 years and made a gift of £10 towards the costs of erecting it. It was completed in 1831. Its Sunday School, also commenced in 1831, had 75 children on its books. The chapel had earth floors and was lacking in comfortable seating, and was soon regarded as inadequate; in 1858 it was altered and re-opened. At this time the church ceased to be administered as a branch of Llanedi and assumed full independence. Additional land was acquired from the squire, Edward Sartoris, in 1867, and the graveyard was walled around.
After the new Bethesda Chapel was opened in 1881, the old chapel remained in use for the Sunday School and other purposes. It is known now as the Capel Bach. Its fixed pulpit and seating have been removed. A kitchen was built as a wing to the building in 1952.

Exterior

Chapel aligned N/S, rendered, with slate roof hipped at each end; ridge and hips tiled. The north end is the entrance elevation. Two tall pointed windows with equilateral arches; central doorway. There is a name plaque centrally at high level. The windows have a simple surround in relief imitating plain pilasters and voussoirs, and stone sills on brackets. The window frames have been replaced. The doors are double and set in a doorcase with freestanding columns to the front and a simple timber entablature. The columns stand on brick plinth-blocks. Windows at the west side of the chapel have been walled up. There are two similar windows beside the pulpit position on the rear (south) elevation. Small extension to the right.

Interior

Small anteroom with a coloured glass window overlooking the chapel. Stairs each side to gallery, with four-panel doors. Symmetrical four-panel doors to the chapel. Little remains of the interior features downstairs, though there is a recess with a Gothic canopy in the rear wall at the pulpit position and a boarded dado. The ceiling is divided diagonally by ribs into four panels, and there is a large decorative plasterwork roundel at the centre. The gallery is on three sides. Its front is formed in broad panels. It is supported on four almost plain round columns of about 100 mm diameter. The stairs to the gallery each side have simple turned newels and inch-square balusters. There are four rows of seating in the gallery above the entrance, and two rows at the sides. The seating is plain with panelled backs.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as an early C19 chapel with a good gallery and ceiling of 1858 intact and for group value with the later Bethesda 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 Bethesda Chapel
    In Bank Road in Llangennech village about 150m north-west of St Cennych's Church. Large graveyard with stone wall and wrought iron gates to street.
  • II Church of St Cennych (aka St Gwynog)
    On a hilltop site east of Bank Road in the centre of Llangennech village, 150m north of the B4297 (Afon Road). Stone wall to front, part with cast-iron railings and gates between plain ashlar piers.
  • II Capel Salem
    At the junction of Bank Road with Afon Road (A4297) in the centre of Llangennech Village. Stone perimeter wall with iron railings to Afon Road; large graveyard to the north.
  • II Hen Gapel (also known as Tynewedd Chapel)
    Situated in a walled and gated burial ground, overlooking the Loughor valley, on the S side of the minor road which leads W off the B4306.

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