Y Priordy Independent Chapel

Cadw's description

Location

Situated set back in forecourt on junction with Old Priory Road.

History

Independent chapel, built 1875-6 by George Morgan, his first major work in the Romanesque style that was especial to him, seen in the remarkable series of chapels of 1875-85 at Ferryside 1877, Abergavenny 1877, Haverfordwest 1878, Port Talbot 1880 and Morriston 1884. The foundation stone was laid by Mrs. John Jones Jenkins. It opened on 28th May 1876. Renovated with new pipe organ in 1933, by Leonard Crabb.

Exterior

Romanesque gable-fronted chapel in rock-faced sandstone with Bath stone detail and alternating voussoirs of rock-faced grey limestone to openings. Slate roofs and leaded glazing throughout. Two storey, 3-bay front. Slightly advanced wide central bay has stepped blind arcading to gable with centre vent, nine arches, but only centre 3 with jambs. First floor has big stepped 3-light window with 2 column shafts with carved capitals between lights. Larger centre light has 3 roundels to head and 2 round arched light below. Shorter, narrower flanking lights have single roundels to heads. Impost band to quoined piers each side of window. Sill course below. Entrance below within same quoined piers has single lights flanking broad arched doorway with column shafts and carved capitals. Arched heads to lights and wider, similar taller arch to centre. Panelled timber doors beneath ashlar tympanum with 3 pierced florets and Priory Congregational Church in incised letters beneath arch. Dated ''1875'' on half-floret. Side bays have tall arched openings with single arched light and roundel over, and blind roundel above with ashlar trefoil and bi-colour voussoirs. Ashlar quoins. Steep hipped mansard roofs with crested ridges on bracketed ashlar eaves. Iron cross finials and ridge crestings.
Two-storey, 4-window sides with paired arched-headed lights above, and paired segmental-arched lights below, with alternating colour voussoirs. Cast iron rainwater goods. Basement storey below. Coped rear gable with small iron finial.

Interior

Three-sided raked gallery with wide curved angles has vertical boarding panels beneath narrow ironwork bands, with Gothic trefoils. Iron columns have fluted lower sections below small raised bands and spiralled upper sections with classical capitals. Pitch-pine box pews, angled to sides to face pulpit, with vertical slats to pew-backs. Pitch pine large pulpit platform has 3-bay arcaded front with chamfered corner piers with pyramid finials, projected centre section. Similar posts to newels of turned stairs flanking pulpit and also to corner posts of deacons' seat. Very large pipe organ of c1933 behind pulpit, on timber brackets. Five sections, lower to centre and outer sections. Lobby window with 3 arched heads with stained glass by Abbot & Co, Lancaster (Light of the World). Three-sided ceiling of 4 bays with arch-braces on corbels. Four diamond-shaped vents with roundels and stylised flower motifs. Coloured glass to façade window with motifs of Lamb, book and dove. Vestry beneath on 6 round cast-iron columns with decorated heads.

Reason for designation

Included as the first example of the Romanesque style chapels of George Morgan, one of the most notable individual contributions to Welsh chapel design.