Mount Pleasant Baptist Church

Cadw's description

Location

Prominently sited on the corner with Dynevor Place.

History

Originally constructed 1825-6 (cost £4,510). Enlarged 1875-6 to designs by George Morgan, architect of Carmarthen; chapel lengthened with new street front, reseated and galleries lowered, new windows provided, pulpit introduced. Lecture hall of 1885, class rooms and vestries of 1904-5.

Exterior

Splendid 5-bay Bath stone front with tetrastyle Corinthian portico, oculus with vermiculated keystones in pediment. Modern pantile roof, balustraded parapets over side bays with Corinthian pilasters. Arched windows to 1st floor (centre blind), keyblocked architraves with imposts, balustered aprons, marginal glazing bars. Similar treatment to ground floor openings with acanthus keyblocks, foliage trail spandrels and vermiculated blocks to jambs, 3-panel double doors. Central scalloped niche. Wide flight of steps leads up from paved area behind modern railings and piers. One-bay returns in similar style; rest of side elevations rendered with tall round-headed windows, arched tracery, right-hand elevation with Corinthian pilasters and moulded eaves.

School-room block set back on left with 2 storey rendered gable, Corinthian pilasters, oculus over three arched windows per storey. Add block set back on right with 2 storey and attic pedimented front, Corinthian corner pilasters, 3 lights in echelon over 4 arched windows per storey, cill and impost bands. Arched doorcase ground floor right. 6-bay flank elevation to Dynevor Place, pedimented rear as before.

Long rectangular interior with flat ceiling, three roses with plasterwork foliage, moulded cornice. 3-sided gallery front with triglyph frieze and panels above cornice, cast-iron columns. Venetian window treatment to organ recess at inner end above Gothic pulpit with twin decorative ironwork handrails. 1905 organ.