Capel Saron

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in the centre of Birchgrove some 45m N of the junction of Birchgrove Road and Heol Dulais.

History

Independent chapel dated 1871, built in the manner of John Humphrey of Morriston. Schoolroom built 1862 by Rev. J Rees, Minister of Canaan and Bethel chapels. Chapel built on ground leased from Mr Smith of Birchgrove, for between £600 and £700.

Exterior

Chapel, coursed rock-faced rubble stone with minimal painted ashlar dressings. Gable front with centre recessed under major arch and each side unusually recessed under short ashlar corbel table under main impost band. Painted ashlar bands right across at three main levels: impost level of door, sill level of centre windows, and impost level of main arch (also of 2 centre windows). Another across gable is widened to include inscription 'Saron Capel yr Annibynwyr 1871'. In gable is a painted vent loop flanked by 2 blank keyed roundels with painted ashlar keystones. Main centre recess rises into gable and is over a roundel with sexfoil timber tracery, 2 arched windows with timber 2-light-and-roundel tracery, 2 small keyed roundel windows just above door level, and a tall arched dooorway with panelled double doors. All arches and roundels have stone voussoirs, all windows have stone sills. Side windows are tall and very narrow with arched heads and painted keystones, the keystones right under corbel table.

Interior

Interior with 3-sided gallery on 3x1x3 iron columns with florid caps. Coved cornice under frontal panelled in long panels with equal length bands of pierced cast ironwork in quatrefoil pattern above. Thin pilasters between panels. Curved angles. Pitch pine pews in 3 blocks, the outer blocks canted towards pulpit. Three-sided 'set fawr' with cast-iron pierced long panel in rear. 'Set fawr' has been infilled as raised platform. Pulpit has curving steps up each side and panelled front with arched centre panel. Behind is plaster arch with panelled pilasters, large caps and moulded arch with keystone. Gallery pews are raked and curved to follow line of gallery. Lobby to entrance end has window with coloured glass margins and canted walls each side with doors.
Ceiling has coved plaster cornice, then two main plaster panels diagonally-ribbed from centre roses, divided and bordered by diagonal timber boarding with 6 ornate pierced timber square vents.

Reason for designation

Included primarily for the architectural interest of its facade design, with relatively complex use of vertical planes. Probably designed by the leading chapel architect in Wales, John Humphrey of Morriston.