Bethania Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Located prominently by the side of the main road in Bethania and raised up on a revetted, sloped terrace with simple fleur-de-lis railings surmounting the wall in front of the chapel; adjoining the former manse.

History

Calvinistic Methodist chapel founded in 1822; the present building is either wholly a rebuilding of 1867, or else a substantial remodelling. A single-storey porch addition was added to the entrance gable c1910.

Exterior

Large chapel of coursed local rubble with pitched slate roof and tiled ridge; central tin louvre and deep verges with plain bargeboards. The facade is of coursed, rough-dressed slatestone and has a pair of arched windows to the centre with tooled limestone surrounds and original sash windows (slightly reduced by the later porch addition). Between the windows is a simple inscribed slate plaque with the dedication: 'Bethania MC 1822. 1867'. In the gable apex is a large 12-pane arched window as before with projecting slate sill. This lights a former school room in the attic space above the chapel. Single-storey 3-part porch along the whole width of the gable with slate roof hipped to the sides; of snecked, quarry-dressed stone. Paired arched entrances to the centre with deeply-recessed arched wooden doors with panelled lower and glazed upper sections. Flanking the entrances and defining the corners are plain buttresses; the flanking sections each have a pair of small arched windows with multi-pane marginal glazing.

Three-bay sides with that to the N having 3 large arched windows with sandstone dressings; original 12-pane sashes, recessed and unhorned with projecting sills. Two similar windows to the rear gable end with an external stair in the form of a flying buttress to the centre. This has simple railings and leads to a former schoolroom entrance in the roof space; recessed boarded door with 3-pane overlight.

Interior

Gently-raked seating to set fawr at end; original pitch pine boxed seating with aisles to R and L and linoleum floors (key pattern borders). Panelled ceiling with boarding and two rows of decorative plaster rosettes. Deacon's enclosure with panelled dado and arcaded upper section, the corners rounded to the front and terminated with simple newels to the rear; geometric finials. The set fawr has a similar pulpit and stick-baluster stairs. Large wooden painted back with triple arcading to arched niche; fluted pilasters with composite capitals and decorative frieze, large projecting key.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a C19 road-side hamlet chapel with unusual plan form incorporating a school room above.