Tabernacle Independent Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated set back from street on raised forecourt.

History

Independent chapel of 1845, built for £566/19/9d (£566.98) or £800, probably to designs by Daniel Evans of Fishguard, who designed Bethania Chapel, Cardigan, with which there are similarities. The ceiling plaster is probably by Thomas Rees of Fishguard, 1845.
There were alterations in 1913-14 (or 1916) and a major refit in 1924 costing £3,800, including new heating, decoration by D Jones of Carmarthen, and an organ by Henry Salter & Sons of Neath. The interior is square plan of 1845, but only the ceiling is of that date, most of the ornate decoration and probably also the pews and pulpit seem to be of 1924, but is applied to an earlier gallery that looks later C19 rather than of 1845. The roof was of grouted slate in 1978.

Exterior

Chapel, broad gable front with C20 dry-dash cladding and half-hipped slate roof with bracketed eaves, the short sloping verges each side slightly returned. Three round-headed openings to upper floor and 2 below all with recessed dressed sandstone voussoirs to heads and blind radiating tracery with scalloped edges above flat-headed late C20 windows. Arch-headed centre door set in unpainted stucco; late C19 or early C20 surround with 2 pilasters and minimal pediment framing recessed plaque: "Tabernacle Independent Chapel 1845". Door has fanlight with radiating tracery over double 3-panel doors. Raised plinth. Forecourt set above a wide flight of steps.
Two-storey, 2-window side elevations of stone rubble. Stone voussoirs to windows, C20 glazing. Roughcast C20 rear addition for organ.

Interior

Interior apparently of several dates. Coved ceiling has ornate earlier C20 fluting and console brackets, probably applied to an original 1845 cove as the fine centre rose is of 1845. The gallery is also of several dates, the decorative panels applied in fibrous plaster in earlier C20 when the fourth gallery side was added for the organ loft, but the basic structure on 5 cast-iron columns looks later C19. Gallery end is to a shallow curve, possibly original, possibly a modification. Pitch-pine framing to long horizontal panels with plaster Renaissance style vase-and-scroll decoration and divided by applied plaster fluted pilasters with much broader reeded piers with neo-classical festoons to centre and ends of the side galleries. Centre of centre gallery has clock. Organ gallery behind pulpit has 2 long similar panels with plaster decoration. Each side of pulpit under galleries, a half-glazed door with Art Nouveau style leaded glass. Lobby has similar glazing to 4-light window and 2 cambered-headed double doors. Window is framed by fluted pilasters and dentil cornice. Dog-leg gallery stairs have ball-finial newel.
Pews in 3 blocks, the outer pews angled, and some inward-facing pews flanking pulpit. Bench ends with flat cornices and scrolled arm rests. Vertical boarding to backs. Similar raked pews to galleries. Set fawr has curved angles and matching bench ends. Large and ornate pulpit platform against organ gallery, with straight steps up each side and panelled platform front each side of half-round pulpit with 6 columns, panels between, the centre panel enriched, and moulded cornice. Pitch-pine panelling behind under organ gallery. Very large organ of 1926 in timber case.

Reason for designation

Included as a chapel of 1845 with a distinctive richly ornamented interior of the earlier C20.