Former Mission Hall

Cadw's description

Location

On the E side of the River Taff, beyond Ynysangharad Park and the A470, and below Coed-pen-maen Common. Set high above the road with rubble forecourt wall. The rear elevation is below Merthyr Road.

History

Dated 1873. Built by the Brown Lenox Chain Works to provide a place of worship for its staff. The Brown Lenox Works was internationally renowned and was one of the few highly developed engineering industries in South Wales. The Mission Hall is shown on Ordnance Survey map as a Sunday School.

Exterior

Rectangular chapel of snecked rock-faced stone and hipped slate roof with boarded eaves. The openings are round-headed with voussoirs, with replacement small-pane windows that are less deep than the original windows although the original stone sills are retained. The entrance is to the R (SE) end which has 2 windows flanking a central doorway, which is now partly infilled with a modern square-headed door. Above this is a shaped freestone plaque inscribed "Chain Works Mission Hall AD 1873". The side walls are 3-window. The L-hand side of the rear elevation has a blocked opening.

Interior

Interior is converted for domestic use.

Reason for designation

Listed, despite modern alterations, for its special interest as an unusual example of a chapel built exclusively for the workforce of a single company, in this case the famous Brown Lenox Works.