Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
High Street Baptist Church
Abersychan, Torfaen, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Abersychan, Pontypool, Torfaen, designated on 28 July 1997.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Religious, Ritual and Funerary
- Date of designation
- 28 July 1997
- Locality
- Abersychan
- Town
- Pontypool
- Community
- Abersychan
- Unitary authority
- Torfaen
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.72519, -3.06584
- Cadw reference
- 18581
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1895 · Sheet 11. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 232 Abergavenny (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 232 Abergavenny (Outline) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1913 · Sheet 102. Newport. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Built backing into the hillside on a high platform with stone retaining wall and iron railings on a site overlooking Cwmsychan.
History
A small English Baptist chapel built in 1827 and later extended at the rear; refurbished 1868 by Mr Hardick of Warminster.
Exterior
Small rectangular gable fronted chapel with large extensions spreading out behind and on either side. Rendered and painted, probably over brick, and with a Welsh slate roof. In a Classical/Italianate style. The street front has three bays with the central entrance bay set slightly forward, cill band to the first floor and quoin pilasters with fluted paterae panels. Panelled doors with rectangular light over set in a pedimented frame. This is flanked by arch headed windows with raised architraves with keystones and impost blocks. The first floor has a larger version of this window in the centre, this is divided into three panes by a transom with mullion below. A large paterae feature decorates the plain wall on either side. Cornice, which goes into a block above the central bay. Pedimented gable end with plaster decoration in the gable and wave pattern bargeboards.
The side elevations have three windows on each floor framed as before and finished with three panes.
Hipped roof extensions to rear.
Interior
The interior was refitted in 1868 and seems to have been largely unaltered since. Raked gallery on four sides supported on slim cast iron columns with floriate capitals; serpentine iron front and mahogany rail. All the seating is complete with pews below and benches in the gallery. Large organ in the arch to the extension behind the 'set fawr', which has a decorative iron and mahogany rail before it, and a glazed screen behind. The walls are plain, with few monuments, the only one of interest being to the dead of the Llanerch Colliery explosion of 1890. Three kingpost roof trusses. The interiors of the rear extension with Sunday School and Minister's rooms etc. are functional.
Reason for designation
Included as a good example of a chapel of 1827 with an unaltered interior from later in the C19, probably 1868.
Nearby in the register
- Waterloo CottageDomesticunder 1 mi
- The Big ArchTransportunder 1 mi
- Former Goods Shed of Abersychan and Talywain StationTransportunder 1 mi
- Church of St ThomasReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.