Penuel Baptist Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Prominently sited in the angle of High Street and Campbell Street.

History

The chapel was first built in 1859 (there is a re-sited date-stone in the front wall) but was refronted and re-fitted in 1891, by Owain Morris Roberts, a local builder.

Exterior

Roughly coursed sandstone return elevations survive from the 1859 church. Entrance gable of 1891 is brick and terracotta: 3 storeyed, articulated as 5 bays by 3 tiers of pilasters (the storeys divided by string-courses). Central entrance bay stressed by pedimented gable, with date and inscription 'Penuel Capel y Bedyddwyr'. Pilasters in the upper stage are surmounted by ball finials; balustraded parapets to either side of the central pediment. First floor has alternately single and paired round-headed lights (blind in the outer bays), and rich terracotta cornice with twined acanthus detail. Ground floor has central porch flanked by paired windows and blind panels in the outer bays. Porch has paired segmental arches with keystones carried on stone shafts with terracotta bands and capitals. Grained 9-panel doors with stained glass in leaded fanlights. Rosette and modillion frieze. Return elevations of 4 bays (divided by buttresses in the N elevation), with round-arched windows to first floor, and flat lintels to lower windows. W gable is also brick, with paired round-arched windows at gallery level.

Interior

Entrance lobby with stairs to gallery to either side, and stained glass window onto chapel. This was entirely remodelled in 1891, and has raking floor and a gallery round all 4 sides with canted angles, carried on fluted cast-iron columns with Corinthian capitals; the parapet has modillion cornice and is panelled, with low-relief sunflower motifs at intervals; balustraded band below moulded rail. Wood-grained pews in 3 sections with 2 aisles; cast-iron foliate posts support wooden rail surrounding the set fawr, with similar detail to pulpit, approached via curving steps with turned balustrades. Plaster ceiling divided into rectangular panels, the principle beams carried on scrolled brackets. Large central rosette, deeply moulded with foliate and seed-pod motifs. Similar smaller rosette over pulpit. School room at a lower level to the rear, with meeting rooms etc to first floor.

Reason for designation

Listed for the exceptional quality of the terracotta enrichment of the facade - a very good example of a local feature - and for the fine interior.