87654

 

II  

Designated  

15/12/2011  

15/12/2011  

Coldbrook Chapel  

 

Monmouthshire  

Llanover  

 

Llanover  

331653  

212723  

 

At the end of a private drive past the former stable block to Coldbrook House and overlooking a landscaped pond to the north.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Coldbrook House had medieval origins and was one of the most important houses in the county. It had been remodelled in the C18 and a wing added in the mid C19 but was demolished in 1954 with only the stable block and some ancillary buildings surviving. The chapel possibly dates to the later C19 when the Coldbrook Estate was purchased in 1889 by Lady Llanover of Llanover House from the Hanbury family of Pontypool. It is reported to have been built on the site of an earlier medieval chapel which had been converted into a grotto/bath house before being demolished to make way for the current Chapel. Bradney though, records that the grotto was still in existence in 1906, so the present chapel may have been built shortly after that date. Remains of shells are visible in the area around the Chapel and it is possible that these were used for decoration of the grotto. Lady Llanover was responsible for landscaping the area around the chapel into terraced gardens and water features and although the chapel was given a roof and windows it was never fully completed or used. Vacant at time of inspection and awaiting repair and conversion.  

Single storey, rectangular chapel in Neo-Renaissance style. Sharply gabled roof with kneelers. Built of coursed and faced rubble stone with stone dressings, slate roof, transom windows with leaded glazing. Main front with ground floor door, architrave with recessed arch with impost blocks, keystone and spandrel roundels. Niche with projecting base and roundel window above. Each side of 4 windows directly under the eaves with continuous strong course below. Small boiler room vestry attached to SE with flat roof, moulded doorframe and small window to right.  

Unfurnished, 4 bay roof structure with queen post roof with arch braced tie beams, moulded entablature and cornice applied to tie beam and pilaster framing above to queen posts and tie-beam. Moulded wall plate and purlins with framing above each window and to underside of roof. Crypt below.  

Listed for its special architectural interest as a well constructed late C19 private chapel displaying high levels of craftsmanship and materials and also important for its historic interest as part of a designed landscape.