Capel Bach

Cadw's description

Location

At the end of Chapel Lane, on the S side of High Street.

History

Architecturally, Capel Bach belongs to the earliest phase of chapel building in Wales, of a distinctive and now rare “lateral entry” or “long wall” plan. Originally there were 3 doors in the façade (facing E) – the central opening on to the ground floor and facing the pulpit, the doors either side opening onto lobbies with internal stairs to the gallery. This arrangement is of interest, because it represents a development from a late-Georgian pattern in which separate external stairs gave access to the gallery, and there was no internal circulation between main floor and the gallery. In the late C19 the chapel was converted into a Sunday School at which time a cross- wall was inserted blocking the central door, and the right-hand lobby modified to provide ground level access, but the original form and plan is clearly legible. The pulpit would have been located centrally between the 2 tall windows of the rear wall. Its later conversion to Sunday School use was probably when Mount Pleasant Chapel was constructed nearby in the 1860s. At this point the gallery space was floored over and alterations made to the ground floor space with parts of the gallery fronts reused for partitioning. Used as storage from the late C20.

Exterior

Former chapel, rubble stone with quoins and squared dressings. Corrugated sheet roof and replaced rainwater goods. Rectangular plan with former 3 bay entry façade to Chapel Lane. Central doorway blocked, outer doors have plain braced and ledged boarded doors. S gable with 6-over-3 small pane sash, narrow glazing bars and horns. N gable with 6-over-2 sash. Pair of tall small pane sashes in W wall, boarded at time of inspection but 24 pane could be expected.

Interior

Left hand door gives access to stair to upper floor in left hand corner. Treads and risers replaced, squared timber newel and balusters. Panelled partition and door (reused gallery fronts) to room at rear. Underside of gallery visible with squared timber supporting pillars with moulded capitals and beaded arises. Flag floor. Blocked central door remade as blind half-height recess. Right hand door to stable/store room. Underside of gallery and details as before. Corbelled gallery support visible on E wall. Upper floor boarded over and largely emptied of fittings but retaining stepped gallery around 3 sides, some bench supports, blocked windows on rear wall and painted plaster detail in between showing pediment with plaque and urn finial, possibly part of the original pulpit layout.

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as a rare survival of a distinctive chapel type, largely retaining its original layout, and special historic interest for its very early origins.