Salem Baptist Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

On bend in road, immediately south of The Square in centre of Bedlinog. Burial ground to the front.

History

Baptist chapel of 1876. First chapel 1830, opened 23 April 1833, when first Minister, Rev Morgan Lewis, was ordained. The Rev Gwilym Davies CBE, MA (born 1878) was the son of Rev Daniel Davies, minister of Salem 1890-1908, and initiator of the "Peace Message of the Children of Wales to the Children of the World", first broadcast in 1922 and later taken up by Urdd Gobaith Cymru. Gallery design similar to Beulah Baptist chapel, Dowlais of 1869, by Evan Jones, architect.

Exterior

Chapel of 1876, stucco with stone dressings, slate roof and timber bargeboard. Rusticated rock-faced stone surrounds to all openings and rock-faced stone quoins, sills and thin course under pedimental gable. Gable has rusticated stone-framed vent over stone-framed granite plaque inscribed: 'Built 1830. Rebuilt 1876'. Raised stucco letters 'Salem Baptist Chapel' to sides and below plaque. Three-bay facade with rusticated broad arched windows, with small-paned glazing and marginal bars. Central upper window slightly wider with additional inner margin to glazing which corresponds to fanlight of door arch below. Pair of 2-panel doors. Coloured glass margins to windows and lunette. Small corbels under sills. Low rough-stone plinth and steps to entrance. Side walls of 4 bays, and 2 storeys with cambered-headed windows, similar glazing and rock-faced stone dressings. Vestry to rear, much altered, but said to have been the original Chapel.

Interior

Interior of 1876, with 3 sided raked gallery and box pews, arranged in 2 aisles. Extensive use of good quality painted graining to woodwork. Gallery has curved angles, with long horizontal panels divided by short panels. Centre panel has clock. Seven painted, fluted, cast iron columns, made by M John, Merthyr. Gallery front projects over deep coving, with painted marbling. Raked panelled pews to gallery. Rectangular pulpit platform, with stairs up each side. Turned balusters and newel posts with ball finials to stairs and platform front. Panelled platform base, pulpit projects slightly with gothic panels to base and 3 panels under single segmental arch. Dado panelling behind pulpit and broad painted stucco arch above. Elliptical arch on pair of ornate consoles. Panelled pilaster strips to sides. Marble memorial to Morgan Thomas in centre of arch. Baptistery situated beneath pulpit floor. Set fawr has curved angles and doors, similar detail to box pews. Ceiling has moulded cornice, then sloping plaster border to timber main part. This has diagonally-slatted border with square vents in corners, around main ceiling divided into 6 by thin moulded ribs radiating from centre plain boarded circle. This circular feature is dropped with thin moulded rim, and 2 similar thin moulded concentric circles within. Vestry to rear, possibly original chapel, single storey, 4-bay, with later kitchen extension. Much altered.

Reason for designation

Listed as a prominent later C19 chapel retaining good interior furnishings. Historical associations with the Urdd.