Nebo Independent Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated just S of the junction of minor roads approximately 0.6km NE of the main junction in Efailwen.

History

Independent chapel of 1836, completely rebuilt in 1860-1. The original plaque is reset on the entrance gatepier.

Exterior

Chapel, square plan with rendered walls and hipped slate roof, overhanging on flat eaves with paired brackets. Terracotta ridge and finials. Front has just 2 arched windows, big centre arched door and small arched plaque, all in raised stucco surrounds. Windows are small-paned sashes with intersecting bars in arched heads. Earlier C20 double doors with fanlight, and leaded glazing with 'Nebo' in white letters. Both side elevations are 2-storey, 3-window, with plastic windows replacing cambered-headed 12-pane sashes. Recessed window heads. Rear wall is entirely slate-hung in rough local slates.

Interior

Square interior with unusual 4-sided gallery on 7 thin iron columns. Gallery front in long horizontal panels with square panels between. Fourth side is carried over entrance lobby. Panelled painted grained pews with doors, in 3 blocks, the rear pews raked upwards. Some raked inward-facing pews each side of pulpit. Three-sided set fawr also panelled with doors. Pulpit backs onto lobby and has panel front with bookrest, ornate open neo-Jacobean fretwork rail each side. Three seats below, centre seat with carved scrolled armrests. Steps up each side with ramped rail over panelling, but above rail is inserted piece of pierced fretwork filling out the curve, and further fretwork over curved rear corners of platform. Timber pulpit back with thick crest of opposed scrolls in ogee form. Traceried window each side into lobby. Boarded ceiling with plaster cornice. Lobby has stone steps to gallery.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as a square-plan chapel, with fine interior, unusual for the 4-sided gallery, raked pews and pulpit backed onto lobby.