Bethania Baptist Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated mid-way down street, set back in railed forecourt.

History

1846-7 Baptist Chapel by Daniel Evans (1786-1852) of Cardigan. Built for £2,000, Evans was paid £2. Iron railings by D Davies, The Bridge, Cardigan, plaster by Thos.áRees, Fishguard. Improvements are recorded in 1868, the vestry 1882, organ 1900 and alterations to the entrance 1908. Rear schoolroom and vestry added 1882.

Exterior

Classical style with unpainted stucco north end facade and blue lias rubble 2-storey, 4-window sides. Slate deep-eaved pedimental roof with paired timber brackets.

Open pedimental front over broad segmental arched 2-storey, 3-window centre, and narrow windowless rusticated side bays. Centre has arched windows above, broader middle window, originally with glazing bars, replaced with leaded glazing in early C20. Arched hoodmoulds. Middle window was tripartite sash, is set higher and has blank tympanum with stucco fan. Ground floor has rectangular window each side of big Greek Doric pedimented porch, paired columns each side and pilaster responds. Double panelled doors within and original traceried overlight. Cornice carried across from porch, without triglyphs, and across slightly advanced outer bays, which have rusticated pilasters each floor, ground floor flattened-arched recess with pilaster jambs and rustication above, and first floor mid-height blank recesses in rusticated wall with cambered heads, sills; 'Baptist' and 'Chapel' in raised letters. Under main arch of centre is scroll-pedimented plaque 'Bethania 1847'.

Sides have arched sashes above and 12-pane sashes below. Rear has open pediment with paired arched recesses below and 2 arched windows. Single storey 1882 vestry, also in blue lias obscures ground floor and is gable ended to west. Arched windows.

Forecourt has fine spearhead railings and matching double gates. Openwork gatepiers and stanchions, the piers corniced with urns, the stanchions with anthemion finials. Later C19 iron rails to rear of churchyard, on to Priory Street.
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Interior

Little altered with rich plaster cornice, flat ceiling and festive centre lozenge with arabesques of classical plant motifs around a centre domelet. Box pews, gallery on Roman Doric cast-iron columns, with entablature and timber panelled gallery front. 1900 pulpit and set fawr. Organ by P Conacher and Co, Huddersfield, 1900.

Reason for designation

Graded II* as one of the finest classical chapels of the area, similar in some detail to Hermon, Fishguard, possibly also by Evans, 1832.