Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Bryn Sion Presbyterian Chapel
St. Bride's Major, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Religious, Ritual and Funerary
- Date of designation
- 22 September 1988
- Locality
- St Brides Major
- Community
- St. Bride's Major
- Unitary authority
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.46288, -3.59048
- Cadw reference
- 11350
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Located on the E side of Pen-y-lan Road on the hillside above the village centre. The chapel is cut into the hillside within its own enclosure of rubble stone walls surmounted by iron railings.
History
The chapel is dated 1859. The Calvinistic Methodists are said to have first met at St. Bride’s Major in 1794 at Pen ucha dre Farm. A chapel was erected in the village in 1824, though it is not clear whether it was on the same site as the current chapel, which was built at a cost of £400 through the endeavours of the Rev. Edward Matthews. It would seem that the first full-time minister was the Rev. Charles Williams who was inducted to the pastorate in 1883.
Exterior
Small Gothic-style chapel. Gable-end entry with lateral side facing road. The N gable end is in snecked masonry, whilst the W side and S gable end are rendered over. Fish-scale slate roof, freestone quoins and dressings, wide boarded eaves. Diagonal buttresses to NE and NW angles. Central boarded double doors under pointed arched head, with fanlight containing intersecting tracery. Flanked by tall windows with similar pointed heads, with intersecting tracery under the head and small panes. In the gable is a recessed stone tablet bearing the inscription ‘BRYNSION / 1859’. The S gable end has 2 windows as to the N. The W side has 1 window with intersecting tracery under the head and large panes below. One window to E.
Interior
Gallery at N end supported on 2 cast iron piers with staircase to E. No other features in situ.
Reason for designation
Listed as a good example of a small Gothic-style chapel.
Nearby in the register
- Churchyard Cross, Church of St BridgetReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- St Bride's Major Churchyard CrossCrossunder 1 mi
- Church of St BridgetReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Croes AntoniCrossunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.