Rhydwilym Baptist Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

To S of River Cleddau, on minor road, about half way between Llandissilio and Llangolman Common.

History

There has been a Baptist presence at Rhydwilym since the 1660s, and a chapel since 1701. Plaque on front of building records that a chapel of 1763 was rebuilt in 1841, then rebuilt and enlarged in 1875. The present building is entirely in keeping with a date of 1875. Historically Rhydwilym was the mother church of all Baptist churches in Pembrokeshire, western Carmarthenshire, and most of southern Ceredigion.

Exterior

A rubble-stone chapel with a slate roof on bracketed eaves. The gable-end front has rock-faced quoins and dressings. Round-headed windows are margin-lit small-pane horned sashes. The central round-headed doorway has panelled double doors beneath a radial-glazed overlight. Above it are 2 narrow, small windows lighting the gallery, with large windows to the L and R. In the gable is a blind oculus above an inscription tablet. The side walls, of which the L-hand is slate-hung, have 2 large windows, with a similar pair of windows to the rear.

Interior

Entrance doors give on to a lobby with open wooden stairs to each side. Four-panelled doors lead to the body of the chapel, either side of a window with coloured glass. Above the window an C18 plaque from the earlier chapel records the foundation of the chapel by John Evans. The main chapel has a ribbed and diapered flat ceiling (the ceiling rose was removed in the 1930s). Windows have hood moulds. The 3-sided gallery has a panelled wooden front, and stands on iron columns from "T JONES PRIORY FOUNDRY CARMARTHEN". Three banks of pine pews. The pulpit has flanking stairs with turned balusters and a reredos with broken segmental pediment on Ionic columns with simulated granite shafts.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good unspoilt example of later C19 rural chapel on a historic site, forming part of group including stable and schoolroom, and former chapel house.