18662

 

II  

Designated  

05/08/1997  

05/08/1997  

Eglwys Mynydd Seion  

 

Conwy  

Abergele  

Abergele  

 

294531  

377394  

W  

Chapel Street runs S from the centre of the town. The chapel is set on an elevated platform, almost opposite the junction with High Street.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The Calvinistic Methodist chapel was rebuilt in 1867-8 at the instigation of Y Parch William Roberts to replace the earlier smaller chapel of 1791 close to the same site. The present building was designed by Richard Owens, chapel architect of Liverpool, at the expense of David Roberts, timber merchant of Liverpool, and developer in Abergele, and cost £1803 15s (£1,803.75p). Richard Owens was employed as surveyor to David Roberts, whose offices in Liverpool he planned; he is best known as one of the most prolific chapel architects having designed over 250. This chapel now serves the Welsh Presbyterian community.  

Early Gothic style. Built of rock-faced black basaltic stone, probably from Penmaenmawr, with sharply contrasting Bath oolitic limestone dressings, and a slate roof. The main S front has a gabled central section with 3 close-set Gothic 2-light windows, a roundel in the apex, and lean-to narthex-porch, gabled over the central moulded doorcase, which is angled at the head. Buttresses at either side of the door rise as pinnacles, and triple windows each side with pierced balustrade over. The central section is extended each side as 2-storey stair wings; similar 2-light windows with quatrefoil heads, the upper windows gabled. The E side, facing Chapel Street, has three 2-light windows beyond the stair wing, separated by buttresses, and gabled transepts at the N end, having triple tall lancets with quatrefoil heads and a gable oculus. The N end terminates in a polygonal apse with a hipped roof, and almost detached, a vestry set at right angles under a separate roof.  

The main body of the chapel is of 4 bays, slightly tapering to the N, before the transepts. Plastered walls and a six-sided boarded vaulted ceiling on trusses extended down by wall shafts to corbels. A west gallery stands on octagonal cast iron columns. The arch behind the pulpit contains an organ and console by P Conacher, with a Gothic case. The octagonal pulpit is set forward from its access gallery which has flights of 5 steps at each end, all set in a semi-circular set fawr with a pitch-pine balustrade. The pews are in pitch pine, set on a slightly raked floor, and laid out in 3 banks, with further pews in the transepts, totaling some 510 places plus the gallery. Doors either side of the organ lead to the vestry and side entrance. The entrance narthex has patterned stained glass windows, and triple arches supporting the S wall of the chapel.  

Listed as a distinctive and well-preserved chapel by a notable chapel architect.