Capel Salem, including attached house, forecourt wall and outbuilding

Cadw's description

Location

About 2km W of Devil's Bridge (Pontarfynach); below N side of minor road parallel to A 4120.

History

Disused chapel dated of 1812 and 1844, under conversion to house 2004. Present building of 1844 with late C19 or early C20 alterations. Original symmetrical lateral facade altered probably by narrowing right window and substituting door for a window adjoining. House/vestry under reconstruction 2004, gutted internally.

Exterior

Chapel, house/vestry and outbuilding, rubble stone with slate roofs. Chapel has late C19 cement render to lateral front with inscription "Salem, Mynyddbach, 1844" in raised cement letters. Small slate datestone at eaves left. Altered facade: two 12-pane horned sash windows at different levels to left, the outer one slightly higher, later C19 gable porch and narrow outer window to right. Board door and overhanging verges to porch.
Rubble stone rear with two 12-pane sashes with brick heads. Slate-hung right end wall with overhanging verges.
To left, attached 2-storey, 2-bay house/vestry, rendered with stone chimney to left. On first floor, two 20-pane sash windows (removed 2004); on ground floor, doorway to extreme right and sash window with marginal glazing bars to left (removed 2004). Left gable end, dismantled 2004, had, to rear, steps up to first floor panelled door, and attic window.
To left again, single-storey rubble stone outbuilding with slate roof, yellow brick left end chimney, small window to front left and doorway in left end gable.
The chapel and house/vestry are behind stone forecourt wall with iron gates to each end.

Interior

Interior partly dismantled 2004. Flat ceiling with five small roundels. Wood panelled dado, raking floor with box pews. Set fawr enclosure with rail. Painted grained pulpit with canted panelled front and turned balusters each side. Arched panelled pulpit-back.

Reason for designation

Included as a mid C19 rural chapel in long wall tradition.