History in Structure

Walls with ornamental gates and railings, Bethel Chapel

A Grade II Listed Building in Pen-clawdd, Swansea

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.6409 / 51°38'27"N

Longitude: -4.1091 / 4°6'32"W

OS Eastings: 254151

OS Northings: 195673

OS Grid: SS541956

Mapcode National: GBR GT.WQ5L

Mapcode Global: VH4K6.Q0JX

Plus Code: 9C3QJVRR+99

Entry Name: Walls with ornamental gates and railings, Bethel Chapel

Listing Date: 5 June 2000

Last Amended: 5 June 2000

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 23487

Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

ID on this website: 300023487

Location: To the east, north and west sides of Bethel chapel.

County: Swansea

Town: Swansea

Community: Llanrhidian Higher (Llanrhidian Uchaf)

Community: Llanrhidian Higher

Locality: Penclawdd village

Built-Up Area: Pen-clawdd

Traditional County: Glamorgan

Tagged with: Wall

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History

Bethel Independent Chapel was rebuilt in 1910 to the design of the architect W Beddoe Rees, closely following the design of Bethania, Maesteg, by the same architect two years earlier.
The element of the design which was original to Bethel was the sitework, consisting of a raised terrace to the building and a set of wrought-iron gates, railings and stone walls. At Bethania Rees also used railings between similar piers, but the design is a more conventional one of bars, rails and scrolls. Although routine as wrought-iron craftsmanship, the gates and railings complement the strong Beaux-Arts architectural design of the chapel. The Bethel wrought ironwork was produced in the forge of W A Baker and Company of Newport, Monmouth, the firm who also produced the cast ironwork of the chapel interior.

Exterior

A boundary wall of Bethel facing Bethel Road, consisting of four gateways in a wall of axe-dressed uncoursed masonry, plus a return wall at the front of the chapel terrace incorporating railings on a low plinth wall each side of a flight of steps, and railings flanking a curving path from the main street gates to the steps and at each side of the steps. The gate piers and the wall piers in other positions are in rock-faced ashlar masonry with cornice copings. A small return section of railings to the west completes the scheme.
Designed as pairs, each gate consists of full-height square bars penetrating three full-width flat rails without swellings, with additional short bars (dog railings) at foot. Each gate has a motif panel centrally with a formalised art-nouveau design of riveted scrolls, and two short horizontal bars each side at lock level. The rails are riveted to the hinge and lock bars. The hinge bars and lock bars terminate in scrolls, and the other bars in square points. The main gate piers have in addition an arched lantern overthrow with decorative scrolls, and there are cast-iron lamp holders mounted on the piers at the head of the stairs.
The ordinary railings protecting the chapel terrace and at each side of the path and steps consist of square-pointed bars of alternating heights held by a bottom rail and a top rail, with braced standards at intervals.

Reasons for Listing

An ornamental set of gates, railings and associated masonry with formalised decorative features, of group value with Bethel 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 Bethel Independent Chapel including Sunday School to rear.
    In Bethel Road, in the centre of Penclawdd village, with its Sunday School to the north.
  • II The Lodge
    At junction of Park Road with Victoria Road, in the village of Penclawdd.
  • II Tabernacle Presbyterian Chapel
    On the main street of Penclawdd village, facing the part named West End. Stone-walled graveyard at front with cast-iron railings on a plinth wall and cast-iron gates to the front. Modern manse and hou
  • II Tirzah Baptist Chapel
    In a lane off Station Road in the hamlet of Llanmorlais. Stone wall perimeter, with wrought iron railings on a low plinth wall to the front. Gate of similar design between cast-iron piers.

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