Church Hall including Tool Shed to S

Cadw's description

Location

Prominently sited at the junction of Beulah Avenue and the main road (A 547).

History

Church Hall designed by Harold Hughes, architect of Bangor, and patronised by the Countess Dundonald of Gwrych Castle who laid the foundation stone in 1910; the building was completed in 1911.

Exterior

Large Arts and Crafts style gabled hall with one-and-a-half storeyed projecting wing to S, thereby forming an L plan. Constructed of squared, uncoursed local limestone blocks, with tooled limestone dressings and slate roofs; deep, slightly-feathered eaves. Tudor-arched openings with recessed, small-pane horned sash windows; projecting, splayed sills. The hall proper has a gabled single-storey porch to the front (W) with Tudor-arched entrance and deeply-recessed glazed double doors (modern boarding to lower half); 5-pane triangular overlight. To the L a cambered-headed double 6-pane sash window; to the R of the porch two similar windows, with a tripartite cambered window beyond. Between the first two, an inset stone plaque with the inscription 'This stone was laid by the Rt. Hon. The Countess of Dundonald XX August MDCCCCX'. At the NE corner is a tall, 3-stage projecting square bell tower. This has a gently-battered base and rounded corners and has an ungabled helm roof with lead ball finial and deep eaves. Narrow Tudor-arched windows to ground floor N and first floor N and W, with louvred bell openings to all faces under the eaves. Below these on the N and W sides are large contemporary clock faces. Coped parapet to wide N gable with three large Tudor-arched windows in triangular arrangement and paired smaller windows to L; all small-pane sashes. Five 2-part 12-pane windows to long E side, under cambered heads; 3-window group to S gable, as before.

The gabled projection to the W has a plain central chimney with moulded capping and projecting verges to the upper gable; this forms a canopy bell-cote (the bell now missing). The main floor has a pair of tall arched sash windows to the gable. Beneath this is a basement with two 6-pane, segmentally-arched rectangular windows. Recessed 9-pane sash to N return wall with further cambered basement window below. External stepped access to main floor on S side, with rubble parapet and boarded door. Small 6-and 4-pane windows under the eaves with a part-glazed boarded door to L of stair; segmentally-headed window, as before, beyond.

Immediately to the S of the hall is an associated tool shed. This is a small, square gabled structure of rubble, with slated roof, feathered slightly at the oversailing eaves; tiled ridges and exposed rafter ends. Boarded door to centre with toothed top for ventilation.

Interior

The interior was not inspected at the time of survey.

Reason for designation

Included as a fine Arts and Crafts church hall by a notable regional architect.