Moriah Calvinist Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Located on the E side of the A496 at the S end of the village. Set back slightly from the street in a raised railed yard.

History

A resited date plaque on the S wall of the chapel suggests that an earlier chapel was built in 1855; the present building is entirely of 1913, and its architect was O Morris Roberts of Porthmadog.

Exterior

Imposing pedimented entrance front in Art Nouveau style, faced in buff terracotta; return and rear elevations faced in a distinctive knapped black rubble-work. Slate roofs with tiled crestings. Entrance front is a strong composition with polygonal angle turrets surmounted by cupolas with engaged bulbous shafts carrying domed roofs and finials. Scrolled pedimented centrepiece also surmounted by a finial. Central entrance has paired panelled doors in shallow segmental arch with hoodmould. Similar moulded hood mould to flanking 2-light windows, to large 4-light window above the doors, and the 3-light windows flanking it. Oculus in aedicule above the large window. Angle turrets have moulded string courses aligned with the transoms of the first floor windows to give a continuous horizontal articulation.

Return elevations have 2-light mullioned and transomed windows in terracotta, with shallow arched heads and hoodmoulds. Similar windows paired in projecting transepts to either side, a slate plaque in the apex of the S transept bears the inscription and date: ADDOLDY / Y / Methodistiaid / Calfinaidd / Adeiladwyd 1855. Gabled rear projection has a small circular light in the apex, and flanking outshuts have segmentally headed 4-pane horned sash windows. The rear door of the chapel is housed in the S outshut and the entrance and window to the boiler house is in the rear wall of the N outshut.

Interior

Central entrance onto full-width lobby set within body of chapel with doors to either side into the main space. Floor raked slightly down towards set fawr and pulpit against the opposite wall. Pews in 32 straight ranks, with additional rows into transepts. Doors and central window from lobby have leaded lights with stained glass in Art Nouveau style: similarly styled glass in main window above the lobby and in the small circular light above the organ loft. Lined out rendered walls in imitation of ashlar. Coved plaster ceiling with cornice, then boarded border divided into 2 main panels by plaster-work rosettes and angles. The large panels thus formed are plasterwork with big central roses with wreathed plasterwork detail, and inset fretted woodwork. Turned rail and panelling to set fawr and pulpit in Neo-Elizabethan style. Shallow arched recess at rear of pulpit (originally intended for organ?). Door to L of the set fawr leads to staircase up to organ loft and door to R leads into vestry, toilet and rear door; vestry contains small cast iron fireplace in SE corner.

Reason for designation

Listed as a fine early C20 chapel, distinctive for its richly detailed Art Nouveau entrance front, and for the retention intact of its original interior which follows through this style.