Forecourt dwarf wall and railings to Tabernacle Church and to Tabernacle Church School

Cadw's description

Location

Situated across the E fronts of the chapel and school, overlooking junction with Perrots Road.

History

Common forecourt dwarf wall and railings to Tabernacle Congregational Church and School. The iron railings with spike finials may date from when the schoolroom was built in 1864, but the fine openwork gatepiers and ornate gates are earlier, possibly by J. Marychurch of Haverfordwest. The minutes of the Perrot Trust in 1858 record a request that William Owen and John Phillips quantify the number of kerb stones required to receive the iron railings to be erected in front of Tabernacle Chapel and that Messrs Marychurch & Son be directed to cast the palisades for the chapel yard according to the pattern No 14 with the addition of ornaments between each rail.

Exterior

Long run of iron railings with cast-iron spearheads on low stone wall with stone coping. Scrolled wrought iron supports. Matching gate to the schoolroom with wrought iron scrolls in bottom rail. The main entrance to the Church forecourt has two fine gate piers of an openwork of intersected half circles with a lozenge pattern at the bottom and a diagonal pierced cross at the top. Cast-iron supports on top to acanthus caps carrying modern lamps. The double gates are exceptionally ornate, with dense patterning below the mid rail, which has small spearheads between the upper plain rails. Above the top rails, delicate wrought-iron scrollwork to the taller meeting stile with 'Taber' and 'nacle' in cursive script. At left end of railings is a sandstone pier.

Reason for designation

Included at a higher grade as exceptional gatepiers and gates of the earlier C19, with railings of group value.