Ainon Welsh Baptist Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in centre of town on road parallel with main road, frontage on un-named lane linking the two.

History

Vestry was built first in 1884 then Welsh Baptist Chapel in 1886 at cost of £2000; Revival of 1905 under Revd R Jones who established a Bible College in chapel which led to founding of The South Wales Bible Institute at Tynycymmer, Porth; associations with Revd Rhydwen Williams, poet, novelist and Eisteddford Bard, minister 1941-6.

Exterior

Rockfaced sandstone with ashlar dressing to front; rendered, scored and painted, including brick surrounds, to side above plinth; single storey rear wing of rubble sandstone rendered to rear; artificial slate roof to main building, Welsh slate to rear. Two storeys, gable end facade of 3 bays. At gallery level 2 round headed 2 pane margin glazed sash windows with ashlar surrounds incorporating keystone and with protruding sill, and central tri-partite window with similar glazing, the centre light double with a tracery roundel; above is the pediment with bracketed cornice, an inscription panel 'Ainon Addoldy y Bedyddwyr Adeiladwyd AD 1886' and in the apex a blind round headed arch. Ground floor has central round arched doorway with 12 panelled double doors with overlight of circular tracery, decoratively dressed ashlar voussoirs, keystone and quoins, flanked by 2 segmental arched margin glazed windows with similar surrounds; below each window inscribed dedication stones. Moulded ashlar quoins, string course and rock-faced plinth. To front a shallow tiled forecourt surmounted by iron railings with central double gates, brick end piers and side gates bordered on right by rendered rubble wall.

Side elevation left is of 4 bays with at gallery level 2 pane fixed margin glazed windows with keystone and painted brick surrounds, dividing string course and on ground floor segmental arched 6 pane margin glazed windows with keystones; 2 tiers of ventilation grilles. Rear wing a little set back has separate side segmental arched doorway with replaced door and 6 pane overlight with 2 segmental headed margin glazed sash windows all with rockfaced surrounds. The stone steps to door are bordered by a part angled rock-faced stone wall with 3 piers with pyramidal capstones and railings.

Interior

3 sided raked gallery with decorative vertically bowed cast iron fronts and wooden rail and coving supported by 7 cast iron piers. Two tiered platform for set fawr and pulpit and flanking steps all with cast iron railed bowed fronts with metal lamp brackets, large blind round headed arch on wall behind; ground floor pews with doors, some set diagonally, scribed walls; panelled boarded ceiling with ventilators and 1 large and 2 small roses and moulded plaster cornices. Vestibule with part coloured glass double light.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good example of a later C19 valleys chapel retaining a largely unaltered design and unusual cast iron interior furnishings.