Pantgwydir Baptist Church

Cadw's description

Location

On corner with Ernald Place.

History

Chapel of 1906, by (Sir) Charles Ruthen (1871-1926), architect, of Swansea; contractors Lloyd Bros, of Swansea, cost £5000. Inaugurated 28 February 1907.

Exterior

Brown rock-faced stone with bathstone dressings and bands (some painted), slate roof. Large W window of 5 cusped lights with intersecting tracery above; gabled porch with diagonal buttresses and doorway with pinnacled ogee head; to L, polygonal buttress, to R, unusual tower has spire with pinnacle with small niches above slates, at bell stage 2 louvred windows to each face articulated by polygonal buttresses on corbels, pinnacles and pierced parapet above, to W, narrow window on upper and ground stages, 3 narrow windows to S on upper stage; on ground floor, entrance door with ogee head, low diagonal buttresses. S elevation has in second bay, shallow gabled bay with square pinnacles to ends 4-light window with Perpendicular tracery, stepped buttresses. To each side of this, upper floor has broad five light window, ground floor broad 5-light window with intersecting cusped circles. Fourth bay has shallow gabled porch with diagonal buttresses and entrance door with cusped pinnacled head. End bay (vestries and schoolrooms) has gable across eaves and pair of windows to first and ground floors.

Interior

Arch-braced hammer-beam roof boarded at collar level. Organ over set fawr enclosure, pointed arched door to each side of set fawr. Gallery over W end with arcaded frontal. Lobby with glazed screens and stairs to gallery. To rear, service rooms on ground floor, schoolrooms on first floor.

Reason for designation

Unusual design, especially tower, by well-known architect.