Bethany Chapel, including area gate piers and railings

Cadw's description

Location

Located at the NW end of the main town on the main thorough fare.

History

English Baptist Chapel dated 1873 enlarged before 1910 by architect W.D. Morgan of Pentre. Libanus Welsh Baptist Chapel further along road to S had been founded in 1839 and first represented the Non-Conformist cause and close relationship between the 2 congregations and chapels was maintained. The Bethany Chapel is said to have been established to serve English speaking colliers migrating from Gwent. Some renovation is reported to have been carried out in 1947.

Exterior

Front boundary wall of rock faced stone with painted ashlar coping; end and gate piers with deep plinths, painted moulded string courses and cross roofed capstones; part finialed metal railings and central gates.

Rectangular plan of 2 storeys originally of 3 bays in length enlarged to 7 with curved pseudo transepts. Of painted rendered stone and brick with Welsh slate roof. Gable facade has channelled render with plain slightly recessed 2 storey bays incorporating 3 window range of renewed round headed 4/2 pane horned sashes with stone sills under channelled voussoirs and keystone with impost band at abacus level; rectangular ground floor 4/2 pane sashes; a pedimented gable with cornice, renewed verges and inscription panel "Bethany Baptist Chapel 1873"; central doorway with stone step to imposing distyle portico with 2 freestanding and 2 attached columns with roll moulded capitals and bases and square plinths and abaci, heavily moulded entablature with decorative boarded ceiling, 2 stone steps to central double 5-panelled doors. Side windows are round headed 4/2 pane horned sashes above and rectangular 4/2 pane below.

Interior

Furnishings mainly date from enlargement. Entry from S into vestibule with black and white marble floor. Two staircases rising to 4 sided raked gallery supported on 9 cast iron columns with organ at front right; boarded dados and gallery soffit and panelled gallery fronts; decorative wooden ceiling with metal grilled ventilators; hoodmoulds to windows; platform has carved wooden pulpit and set fawr with classical detail and scrolled metal communion rail; numbered pews curving to sides, panelled downstairs and boarded above. Meeting room, former Sunday School, behind platform, modernised.

Reason for designation

Listed especially for its almost unaltered classical exterior - early photograph taken before enlargement shows only the glazing bars to be different - its similarly unaltered good quality interior and its uncommon foundation in this area as an English speaking chapel.