Capel Methodistiaid Calfinaidd

Cadw's description

Location

The chapel stands E of the centre of the village, with its axis parallel to the main road.

History

The chapel, locally known as Capel Isaf, was the fifth chapel built in the village for the expanding Calvinistic Methodist community. It was erected in 1905 to the design of Owen Morris Roberts of Porthmadog, and built by Griffith Jones of Morfa Nefyn.

Exterior

Stonework, rendered and lined out, with raised quoins and pilasters. Slate roof. The main front faces W over a forecourt railed to the road. It is a well-proportioned composition of 3 bays, 2 stages, the centre bay slightly recessed behind an arch, rising into the pediment. Central pair of panelled doors with fanlights, set within pilastered and architraved doorcase; above 3 narrow margin glazed lights, similarly framed. The two side bays are identical, with similar paired windows to both stages. In the central arch, the inscription LLITHFAEN M.C. 1905. The side elevations of the chapel itself are of 5 bays, arched window to the upper stage, square headed below, all with margin glazing and slate sills. At the rear, the large vestry is set at right angles, separated from the chapel by a 1-bay, 2 storey service link. The vestry is 2 windows wide and has arch-patterned gables.

Interior

The interior, designed to seat c700, is completely unaltered since 1905. Moulded compartmented plaster ceiling with large bold roundels, plastered walls lined and painted as ashlar, and pine dado. A gallery of 5 tiers of pews supported on fluted iron columns and brackets, with a boldly carved and decorated front, remarkable for extending by curved corners around all four sides, including for the male voice choir at the E end, and with a dropped gallery immediately behind the pulpit for the organ. Three banks of slightly raked pews focusing on the panelling-enclosed set-fawr, which has fully upholstered seating, and a raised pine pulpit carved with sunflowers, flanked by carved minister's chairs and approached from railed steps each side. The chapel has staging for erecting over the set-fawr for local eisteddfodau. The entrance lobby runs across the width of the building and has a stained glass panel to the body of the chapel. Clock by Roberts and Owen, Carnarvon, 1905. The link to the vestry has fireplace and kitchen, with a deacon's room on the S side, and the large vestry, which seats 300, is furnished with reversible benches and has a carved pulpit at the W and a raised E end.

Reason for designation

Included as a large and well preserved chapel with an impressive and carefully designed interior, including good detail, built as a religious and social focus for the whole community at the time of the prosperity of the quarrying industry in the district.