Tabernacle Congregational Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated towards eastern end of street, on corner of Mansfield Street.

History

l909-10 Independent chapel by D Edward Thomas and Son of Haverfordwest. Red brick and Bath stone, Edwardian free style of a type unusual in S W Wales. Large scale with extensive ancillary accommodation beneath chapel and in rear SE wing. Chapel house as rear SW wing.

Exterior

Chapel has N end gable front to road, framed between outer porches with connecting narthex; the NE porch forms the base of a sheer tower, bluntly octagon-capped, the NW porch single-storey but standing forward of a corner stair block with hipped swept-eaves roof. Centre has broad arched window of 2-3-2 lights framed by flat buttresses breaking through a coped gable to ashlar flat tops. Gable has prominent ashlar date-plaque breaking through apex under segmental cornice and with carved winged head. Band of chequer-work above main window. Narthex is flat-roofed with parapet and centre bay window, ashlar mullioned windows linked by flush banding to outer porches which are ashlar between shallow buttresses with unusual schematic classical detail, dentils on lintel cut flush to leading edge. Carved winged head over each doorway. Tower rises sheer with shallow clasping buttresses to top stage which has 3-light mullion windows over flush chequer banding, the windows with beginnings of splay each side, interrupted by buttresses carried through to caps just under octagonal chequered top.

The NW corner pavilion has clasping buttresses, 2 single-light windows under eaves and swept hipped roof.

Five-window side elevations raised on full-height basement. SW chapel house is plain and roughcast, door and one window. SE wing matches chapel side with ground floor lean-to, E stack.

Interior

Broad central space with 3-bay arcades, moulded round arches on ashlar piers with labels to cornices. Big transverse arch at S end. Boarded ceiling with trussed collar-beam roof supported by stone corbels. Good contemporary woodwork fittings including curving pews, panelled gallery fronts to N and S ends, elders seat with central pulpit and panelled front. Organ case c1925. Gardens are enclosed to NE and NW by fine Art Nouveau railings in wrought-iron. Dated AD 1910(?) to circular tops.