Bethany English Presbyterian Church

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in the centre of Glynneath, on the W side of Bethania Street some 30m from the junction with High Street.

History

Calvinistic Methodist chapel of 1858, improved in 1867. Originally called Bethania, it was replaced in 1905 by the larger Bethania Chapel nearby, but kept in use as an English Presbyterian chapel and renamed. The gallery and gallery pews would appear to be of c1860, but the main pews, set fawr and pulpit are late C19/ early C20.

Exterior

Chapel, squared, coursed tooled grey-brown stone with slate overhanging roof. Flat eaves to sides, brackets to front verge. Broad gable front with pedimental gable, 2 long arched side windows, small Palladian centre window and large arched doorway. Tooled quoins. Gable has raised string-course below and small plaque 'Bethania Adeiladwyd 1858 Helaethwyd 1867'. Openings have tooled sandstone voussoirs and keystones. Small-paned glazing with radiating bars to window heads. Centre window has plain flat mullions and heads to narrow side lights and arched centre light. Panelled large double doors.
Rough rubble stone to 2-storey, 3-window sides, the windows arched above, cambered-headed below, with red brick heads.

Interior

Panelled plaster ceiling divided by heavy moulded plastered ribs. Three-sided gallery with curved angles on 5 plain iron columns. Gallery has fine painted grained woodwork in 3 colours. Deep cornice in pale yellow tone, panelled front above in horizontal panels with moulded inset panels, all in dark brown tone, framed by panelled pilasters , top and bottom rail in paler tone. Pine pews in 3 blocks with shaped ends. Balustraded set fawr with turned newels and finials, echoed on steps up each side of pulpit platform. Broad platform has panelled front with canted sides to forward break. Plain vertical boarding behind obscuring part of plaster arched recess with moulded console capitals. blank arched window each side. Gallery pews have plain panelled backs and roll-mould tops. Lobby has centre window with etched and coloured marginal panes.
Vestry behind has diagonal boarding to 3-sided roof.

Reason for designation

Included for its architectural interest as a well-designed chapel of 1858 with classical facade in squared stone. Good interior including panelled gallery with painted graining.