Melincwrt Independent Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated above and SW of Resolven on the E bank of Melin Court Brook.

History

Independent chapel dated 1799. The cause originated among workers at the Melincwrt iron works. The chapel of 1799 measured 9.75m by 6.7m and opened in 1800. Alterations are said to have been made between 1850 and 1854, which could have been substantial possibly including raising the roof.

Exterior

Chapel, rendered or roughcast with slate roof and left end chimney. Long-wall facade of 2 plain arched windows to centre, small-paned sashes without original fanlights, now boarded over, 2 small arched upper gallery lights with C20 plastic glazing, and, slightly further out, 2 plain cambered headed doors. Slate plaque of 1999 between windows, covering former plaque 'Melincwrt 1799'. Paired brackets to eaves. Rendered end walls, slate-hung rear with 2 upper arched gallery lights, C20 plastic glazing.

Interior

Exceptional interior of primitive simplicity, with stone-flagged floor, white-painted five-sided gallery, panelled in vertical panels and carried on 3 timber octagonal posts to the front and 2 further back. Flat plastered gallery underside with single C20 flight of stairs in rear right corner. Panelled box pews with some fielded panels, suggesting some older woodwork re-used. Pews on rear wall are raked slightly, then aisle following line of gallery divides off inner block of pews, set fawrand pulpit. Set fawr is simply a bench on 2 of 3 sides of pulpit enclosure with 2 doors. Box pews behind each side. Plain square pulpit with single flight of steps from right, looks C20. White-painted plain panelled pulpit back with pediment. Plaster ceiling with small acanthus rose. Galleries have open back benches with diagonal crossed timbers in the backs.

Reason for designation

Graded II* as a rare survival of a chapel of exceptionally early date, 1799-1800, built to serve the local iron workers. Remarkable unaltered interior retaining gallery with unusual railed seats, and box-pews.