Bwlchnewydd Independent Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on a hillside on the N side of Bwlchnewydd just off the road to Cynwyl Elfed.

History

Independent chapel of 1833, altered externally in later C19 and C20. Datestone records the first chapel as dating from 1746, rebuilt in 1810, but the cause may date from 1715, founded from Pant-teg, nearby. There were improvements in 1842 inside the chapel and a British School was then established, and further alterations in 1859. The interior with painted grained woodwork looks of 1842 but could be very conservative work of 1859.

Exterior

Chapel, modern render with painted stucco dressings and slate eaves roof. Lateral faced of 2 long centre arched windows, two outer arched doorways and further out 2 square gallery lights in upper corners. C20 glazing and doors. Arched windows have Y-tracery and large panes, gallery lights are plate glass sashes, doors are boarded with blank rendered tympana above. Moulded stucco frames to the openings, the arched ones with keystones, moulded thin band at impost level of doors, broken also for centre windows. Above band are rusticated angle quoins, below are channelled piers. Raised plinth. Two affixed slate plaques: Rev Owen Owen (d 1841), and William James (d 1845).
Roof overhangs end gables with brackets to verges. Rubble stone right end with one sash window each floor, not aligned, with marginal glazing bars and brick heads. Left end is white-painted stucco with similarly placed windows.
Windowless rubble stone rear wall.

Interior

Interior with painted grained box-pews perhaps of 1842, raked up to rear wall in 6 steps, and inward-facing rows each side of pulpit. Front of flanking pews enclose sides of 'set fawr', which has centre opening facing pulpit. Pulpit platform is low with single flight of balustraded steps up from right. Bulbous turned balusters to platform but solid 2-panel pulpit front with bookrest on fretwork brackets. Pedimented feature behind pulpit with thin pilasters. Ceiling has intersected painted beams in 15 panels, with corbels under beam-ends.
Three-sided gallery possibly of 1842 on 5 plain iron columns. Plain front of painted plain cornice under vertically-panelled front, grained in a dark colour.
Later C19 pine lobbies under gallery ends. Gallery has 2 rows of steeply raked open-back benches and a third row with boarded back against the walls.

Reason for designation

Included as long-wall entry chapel retaining the early interior with painted grained box-pews and plain panelled gallery.