Paran Capel y Bedyddwr

Cadw's description

Location

The chapel is set on the road from Bridgend to Ogmore Vale, on the N side of its junction with the A4093 to Gilfach Goch and Tonyrefail.

History

The chapel was built in 1819 for the earliest Baptist community in the valley, although not registered as a house of nonconformist worship until 1831. It was enlarged in 1856 and altered again in 1898 when the gallery was added. Extensions to the rear of more than one date. It was renowned particularly for the associated school which ran from 1817 to 1948.

Exterior

Built of stone, and now rendered, with a slate roof and ringed red clayware ridge tiles. Small in scale, with the caretaker's house in line at the W extending to Oak Ridge. The 4-panelled door is set on the canted SW corner; two tall round-headed timber windows on the S wall, flanked by two shorter round-headed windows lighting the gallery. Windows on the N have been obscured by later extensions. The canted corner returns by an ogee moulding to the square under the eaves. Date plaque inset over the door, reading ADEILADWYR 1819 / HELATHWYD 1856 / ADNEWYDDWYD 1898.

Interior

The entrance door leads to a cross passage, with a central door into the body of the chapel, and a stair at the N end to the gallery. Walls are plastered and lined as ashlar, and rise to the coved ceiling with a central ventilation rose. The inserted gallery runs around three sides, supported on two cast iron rectangular columns with trailing husk decoration in the forward-facing recessed angles and fluted frieze. The gallery has a bellied iron lattice front, set on pitch-pine substructure with both dentils and modillions. Steps either side at the E rise to the part-octagonal pine pulpit set against an arch-headed recess flanked by fluted pilasters. The gallery has four rows of seats at the rear, returning as 2 rows each side. The total seating is for approximately 200. Mounted on the wall over the pulpit recess is a black marble plaque to the Sunday school conductors, with a further 9 similar tablets with gilded lettering set around the arch. A door on the N wall opens to steps up to the generous vestry.

Reason for designation

Included as a building of importance to the early religious history of the Ogmore Valley, and of interest for the adaptation of the early plan to take a full gallery on a diminutive scale in the late C19.