Cae-Bach Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Reached by a short lane north off Brookland Road leading to Caebach. Chapel set back to the west of this lane at the end of a gated pathway with small graveyard to the front. The ground falls away steeply to rear with River Ithon below.

History

Independent non-conformist chapel founded in 1715 by Rev Thomas Jones of Tetbury.

Exterior

Single-storey rubble building with some hand-made brick dressings to windows. Half-hipped raised slate roof and advanced boarded eaves, timber wall plate and 2 brace plates below. 2 later, c1800 sash windows with glazing bars to front, with ogee-headed timber architraves. Double doors to centre both with 3 panels and set in C19 lightly chamfered frame with timber lintel. Plain rubble left side elevation with plain bargeboards and advanced bracket eaves. Similar right side elevation but with one later ogee-headed window as on front with brick voussoirs and relieving arch above. Rubble rear, 2 brace plates below advanced boarded eaves. One ogee-headed window as on front, with later brick sill; and one flat-headed sash window with cambered brick voussoirs and brick sill.

Early C19 tombstones against right side elevation and front and fine group in graveyard.

Interior

Plastered barrel-vaulted interior retains original fittings but with unusual orientation, semi-octagonal pulpit (now lowered) is situated against the right end wall below the window. The box pews (slightly raked to rear) retain panelling with raised fields; later gallery to rear (against left end wall). Wall monument to Thomas Jones of Tetbury (who died in 1745), dated 1810.

Reason for designation

Group value.