Bethesda Capel Bach

Cadw's description

Location

At the south-east corner of the graveyard of Bethesda Chapel, in Llangennech village 150m north of St Cennych's Church. Wrought iron gates with wrought iron railings on a plinth wall facing the street.

History

The Independents in Llangennech formed themselves into a church in the early C19 under the mother church of Llanedi. In 1829 the squire, E R Tunno, granted a lease of the site for their chapel for 100 years and made a gift of £10 towards the costs of erecting it. It was completed in 1831. Its Sunday School, also commenced in 1831, had 75 children on its books. The chapel had earth floors and was lacking in comfortable seating, and was soon regarded as inadequate; in 1858 it was altered and re-opened. At this time the church ceased to be administered as a branch of Llanedi and assumed full independence. Additional land was acquired from the squire, Edward Sartoris, in 1867, and the graveyard was walled around.
After the new Bethesda Chapel was opened in 1881, the old chapel remained in use for the Sunday School and other purposes. It is known now as the Capel Bach. Its fixed pulpit and seating have been removed. A kitchen was built as a wing to the building in 1952.

Exterior

Chapel aligned N/S, rendered, with slate roof hipped at each end; ridge and hips tiled. The north end is the entrance elevation. Two tall pointed windows with equilateral arches; central doorway. There is a name plaque centrally at high level. The windows have a simple surround in relief imitating plain pilasters and voussoirs, and stone sills on brackets. The window frames have been replaced. The doors are double and set in a doorcase with freestanding columns to the front and a simple timber entablature. The columns stand on brick plinth-blocks. Windows at the west side of the chapel have been walled up. There are two similar windows beside the pulpit position on the rear (south) elevation. Small extension to the right.

Interior

Small anteroom with a coloured glass window overlooking the chapel. Stairs each side to gallery, with four-panel doors. Symmetrical four-panel doors to the chapel. Little remains of the interior features downstairs, though there is a recess with a Gothic canopy in the rear wall at the pulpit position and a boarded dado. The ceiling is divided diagonally by ribs into four panels, and there is a large decorative plasterwork roundel at the centre. The gallery is on three sides. Its front is formed in broad panels. It is supported on four almost plain round columns of about 100 mm diameter. The stairs to the gallery each side have simple turned newels and inch-square balusters. There are four rows of seating in the gallery above the entrance, and two rows at the sides. The seating is plain with panelled backs.

Reason for designation

Listed as an early C19 chapel with a good gallery and ceiling of 1858 intact and for group value with the later Bethesda Chapel.