Tabernacle Presbyterian Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated and set back behind projecting vestry range at upper end of street.

History

1837, enlarged 1861 and remodelled inside 1927

Exterior

Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, . Unpainted roughcast, with hipped slate roof and bracketed flat eaves. Large scale. Two-storey, three-window rear W elevation, to Gomer Crescent, with well-spaced big arched upper windows and rectangular ground floor windows. Unpainted architraves, 1927 leaded glazing. Ground floor right has single-storey porch with side-wall door Two-window N and S elevations with slightly longer upper arched windows.

Front elevation is masked by big 1892 schoolroom coming forward towards street, and main porch to left is also added, possibly in 1927. Two long narrow arched windows over porch and slate roundel recording building in 1837 and rebuilding in 1861. Porch is large with timber open pediment over arched doorway, one window each side with roof hipped over. Double doors with big leaded fanlight dated 1927.

Vestry range has six S side arched windows and gable with yellow brick stack between fourth and fifth windows.

Interior

The re-modelling of 1927 altered the orientation; the entry was previously on same side as pulpit. Gallery on 3 sides has no supporting columns, chamfered angles and panelled timber front divided by curved pedimented panels with framing piers and lozenge inserts. Boarded timber ceiling in panels with coved border. Semi-circular great-seat, panelled back, pulpit with panelled front and steps up each side. Large 1896 organ by Vowles behind. To right of organ is 1927 stained glass window to Rev W Jenkins Jones (1852-1925), missionary to Brittany, the window made by J Hall and Sons.

Schoolroom has arch-braced trusses to 8-bay roof.