Yr Hen Gapel at Plas yn Rhiw

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on W side of lane from Plas-yn-Rhiw to Rhiw church, just N of the cartshed and entrance to the Plas.

History

Ruined outbuilding of uncertain date and purpose. It was known as the Hen Gapel before the Misses Keating bought the Plas in the mid C20, but Miss Keating's surmise that it might have been a recusant chapel of the C17 is unsupported. However the only other theory is that it was an outbuilding used briefly as a chapel or Sunday School in the early C19. The massive masonry and gabled rear windows suggest a pre C19 date. Linked by a wall, that was part of a roofed building, to the cart-shed to S.

Exterior

Outbuilding, rubble stone, roofless and missing N end wall. E front has tall centre door with steps within and the jambs of what seem to be three upper windows of different sill heights, the lintels lost. To left a long window, the sill at some two-thirds height of door, over door there may have been a square window under eaves, mostly gone, but with splayed reveals unlike other openings, and to right a window with sill at door-head level. Full height S gable wall. Rear wall is built against bank and has centre and N windows with slab-lintels and small gables over. N end may have been demolished for later use as a cart-shed.

Reason for designation

Included as part of the group of outbuildings at Plas-yn-Rhiw, of group value with the cart-shed to which it is linked by a wall.