Chapel House & Sunday School

Cadw's description

Location

Located in the centre of Oakley Park.

History

A small chapel and minister's house, dated 1828. The chapel became a Sunday school when a new larger chapel was built on to the R end. The current chapel is dated 1875, but as the footings are of different brickwork, there could have been a preceding chapel on these foundations.

Exterior

Two-storey house to L and single-storey chapel to R, continuous and under the same roof-line. Constructed of brick under a slate roof, with blue brick end stack to L, the openings to the house with segmental brick heads. The house has a C20 half-glazed door to the L and a small-pane wooden 2-light casement to the R, above which is a metal-framed window beneath the eaves. Inscribed date to upper L, beneath the eaves. Offset to L of N gable end is a late C20 boarded door, L of which is a 2-light wooden casement to each storey. Against the rear is a lean-to, L of which is a small light to each storey of the main range.

The front of the former chapel has a tall boarded door under a segmental brick head, R of which is a large 24-pane hornless sash window, under a flat-arched head of gauged brickwork. Similar 24-pane sash to rear.

Interior

The former chapel is still in use as a Sunday School. It consists of a single chamber ceiled at collar level. To the R is a blocked fireplace to a chimney breast (the stack now missing), L of which is a panelled door leading to the later chapel. Panelled door R of chimney breast leading to a cupboard. On the opposite wall is a high level blocked opening, formerly providing a viewing area from the 1st floor of the house.

The front door of the house leads into the living room; stairs were originally immediately to the R, in the SW corner, but are now to the rear where the kitchen used to be. The current kitchen is behind, and was originally a stable, also accessible from the N door; bathroom in rear lean-to.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a small rural chapel of the early C19 with attached minister's house. Though succeeded by a later chapel, it retains its character through its use as a Sunday School.