22650

 

II  

Designated  

04/11/1999  

04/11/1999  

Capel Bethel including railings to forecourt  

 

Gwynedd  

Llanddeiniolen  

Caernarfon  

Bethel  

252380  

365360  

 

Situated towards south-western end of main village street near the point where it joins the B 4366; small forecourt in front has low rubblestone wall with slate coping, fleur-de-lys pointed iron railings and 2 sets of gates; graveyard to rear.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Independent chapel, congregation established 1813, first chapel built 1839, rebuilt 1856 and 1866, remodelled 1901. The majority of the fabric dates to 1856 or 1866 (see evidence for former tall windows to right return and rear) but the classical facade and most of the internal fittings and furnishings belong to the 1901 remodelling.  

Symmetrical Classical facade. Uncoursed rubblestone with buttered pointing to right return and rear, pebbledashed to left return; snecked rock-faced rubble with ashlar dressings to front; slate roof with red ceramic ridge, ashlar-coped pediment and parapet to front. This is of 1:3:1 bays and has 3 tall narrow 12-paned sashes with margin lights grouped together in central round-arched recess breaking eaves cornice; small steep pediment directly above the 3 windows echoes the larger pediment above; outer bays have 8-paned sashes with margin lights. Ground floor has twin entrances with recessed large 6-panel double doors in ashlar surrounds with pedimented entablatures flanking a small 4-paned sash with margin lights, the entrances themselves flanked by 4-paned sashes with margin lights directly below the first-floor outer windows. 4-bay returns have 2 tiers of 8-paned sashes with margin lights (straight joints for former tall windows visible on right return), upper segmental-headed, lower flat-headed (window openings to upper level in third and fourth bays from entrance on left return narrower than remainder and containing margin lights sashes without further glazing bars); half-glazed door in fourth bay on left return has slate-hung lean-to between it and third bay. Rear has 2 segmental-headed sashes with margin lights to upper level and two 4-paned sashes with margin lights below (straight joints for former tall windows visible between the 2 tiers); 4-paned casement with margin lights to apex of gable. Small purple brick-paved forecourt to entrance front has rubblestone dwarf wall with slate coping and decorative fleur-de-lys railings; 2 pairs of iron gates with pyramidal-capped standards.  

Interior largely unaltered since 1901 remodelling. Flat panelled ceiling with moulded ribs and hanging light fittings; cornice to long walls interrupted by windows; plastered walls lined to resemble ashlar; gallery to 3 sides with panelled front and dentilled cornice, supported on 9 painted cast-iron columns with Corinthian capitals, has built-in clock by Roberts & Owen of Caernarvon facing set fawr and the usual arrangement of numbered raked seating. Gently raked pitch-pine seating also on ground floor including curved pews facing set fawr. This is flanked by chamfered 4-panel doors and has Jacobean-style railed enclosure with stumpy balustrade and ball finials below panelled pulpit with on either side curved stairs with twisted balusters; behind is decorative round-arched recess with twin Doric pilasters/columns and above the arch a dentilled pediment; floral motifs to spandrels. Screen at entrance end has 3 stained glass panels, one to centre and one beyond the 6-panel doors leading to entrance lobby, each panel with central roundel of birds; the upper 4 panels of each door also have Art Nouveau floral motif stained glass. In the lobby itself pedimented painted slate tablets over doors to chapel give names of ministers from 1815 to 1962 (right) and the history of the congregation (left); straight-flight staircases at each end with turn on half landing, which has turned balustrade across front windows, give access to gallery.  

Included as a well-preserved early C20 chapel (retaining substantial fabric from its mid-C19 predecessor) occupying a prominent roadside position and forming a good group with its adjoining Sunday School/Vestry and monument to C19 minister; good largely unaltered early C20 interior.