Former Capel Seion

Cadw's description

Location

On the corner with Chapel Street and set back from the road.

History

The first Capel Seion was built in 1784, the earliest non-conformist foundation in Beaumaris. A smaller chapel, set back from the corner of Steeple Lane and Rosemary Lane (which was occupied by a cottage), is shown on the 1829 and 1861 town plans. At this time the chapel had its entrance facing Chapel Street. The present building, occupying the corner site and facing Steeple Lane, is first shown on the 1889 Ordnance Survey. The chapel closed in the late C20 and was being converted to a dwelling at the time of inspection.

Exterior

An Italianate style chapel of scribed roughcast painted yellow-brown, and slate roof behind coped gables. The 3-bay gable-end front has rusticated quoins. The round-headed central doorway has Tuscan pilasters with moulded arch and keystone, and double fielded-panel doors with radial-glazed overlight. Windows have moulded architraves with keystones and sills. To the L and R of the entrance are tall round-headed windows with 2-light tracery. Above the doorway is a triple gallery window of round-headed lights on a corbelled sill, incorporating leaded lights and coloured glass. A pediment has a thin cornice carried over the central window as a round arch, and a small roundel. The broader moulded verge has an apex fleur-de-lys finial.

The 4-bay R side wall, facing Chapel Street, has tall 2-light windows similar to the front. At the R-hand end are recessed double panelled doors under a round-headed overlight. The opposite, 4-bay L side wall, facing the yard behind the Bishopsgate Hotel, has similar 2-light windows but plainer architraves and, like the rear gable end, is pebble-dashed.

Interior

The entrance vestibule has plastered round arches on consoles to gallery stairs to the R and L, with moulded newel and plain balusters. Double segmental-headed doors open to the main chapel, which has a panelled plaster ceiling with ornate moulded ribs and ceiling roses. Much of a former 3-sided gallery has survived (although the sections at the far end beside the pulpit have been taken down and re-erected across the interior to make a 4-sided gallery). It has cast iron Corinthian columns, and a projecting panelled front on moulded brackets.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special architectural interest as a late C19 chapel of definite quality and character well restored as a house.