Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Carmel Independent Chapel
Beaufort, Blaenau Gwent, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Religious, Ritual and Funerary
- Date of designation
- 30 July 1999
- Locality
- Carmeltown
- Community
- Beaufort
- Unitary authority
- Blaenau Gwent
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.79640, -3.21625
- Cadw reference
- 22134
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Prominently located on the W side of Church Crescent, within a small graveyard.
History
Built 1865. The architect was Rev. Thomas Thomas of Swansea, who designed several chapels for the Independents, many characterised by a bold Classical facade with a giant arch breaking into the pediment.
Exterior
Classical facade of rock-faced sandstone with grey ashlar limestone quoins also applied around openings. Slate roof. Pedimental gable broken by central giant arch; ashlar quoins. Within arch is round-arched entry, which has C20 doors. Tripartite ashlar window above with segmental head; round arched lights, very narrow to sides. Above is a large tablet inscribed
‘Carmel Independent Chapel 1865’. Outer bays each have a tall round-arched window with simple timber glazing. Ashlar sill-band. West side (facing road) is rendered with five tall round-arched windows set within round-arched recesses: glazing similar to front. Single storey rear vestry.
Interior
Four-sided gallery with long panels set between pilasters: applied grained finish, typical of the 1860s. Gallery stepped down behind pulpit for organ. Gallery has thin iron posts with applied marbled finish. Box pews, some dismantled to rear of ground floor. Serpentine-fronted pulpit of mahogany, with turned balusters in outer bays, and sweeping side stairs. Flat painted ceiling, boarded and ribbed to centre with large central rose. Large pipe organ in gallery behind pulpit.
Chapel is currently only partially used.
Reason for designation
Listed as an impressively designed Independent Chapel, designed by a leading later C19 chapel architect in Wales.
Nearby in the register
- Church HouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- Ebbw Vale War MemorialCommemorativeunder 1 mi
- Mount Pleasant StoresCommercial1 mi
- Ebenezer Presbyterian Chapel, including New CottageReligious, Ritual and Funerary1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.