18942

 

II  

Designated  

30/09/1997  

30/09/1997  

Capel Bethesda  

 

Ceredigion  

Llanddewi Brefi  

Llanddewi Brefi  

Llanddewi Brefi  

266234  

255412  

 

Situated in Llanddewi Brefi village just S of Pont Llanddewi on the road towards Tregaron.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Calvinsitic Methodist chapel rebuilt in 1873, replacing a chapel first built in 1780, rebuilt 1826 with gallery of 1848.  

Rock-faced coursed squared stone gable facade with rubble stone side walls and slate roof. Pedimental gable marked by simplified cornice and raised border to eaves. Main facade divided by raised piers into broad centre bay and narrower side bays. Cornice is broken forward over piers which are carried on upwards to divide pediment also in three. Central ashlar roundel in pediment with timber quatrefoil louvre within. Below, outer divisions each have a long arched window in painted ashlar surround with minimal impost blocks and keystone. Stone raised sill-courses. Centre has an arched triplet in similar surrounds, the centre light broader and higher with more elaborate glazing. Below is date plaque over two doors, recessed in Gothic doorcases. Doorcases are painted ashlar with rebated jamb shafts, quoins and arched heads, the voussoirs brought to a pointed head. Panelled double cambered headed doors with crescent overlights. Sides are two-storey, 5-window, arched windows above, cambered-headed below. Marginal glazing bars and centre mullions. Stone voussoirs to heads. Small N side door.  

Deep coved cornice with 1929 wooden deep-panelled ceiling in 5 x 3 panels, bordered with herring-bone boarding and square iron decorative grilles at angles. Three-sided gallery with curved angles on 9 iron columns with leaf capitals. Gallery front has lower cornice with raised half-sphere ornament and main front in long cast-iron pierced panels to a roundel pattern. Raised panelled pilasters between panels and centre clock. Raked gallery pews. Main pews in three blocks with two aisles. Curved back to great seat with matching ironwork. Pulpit with curving balustraded steps up each side, similar turned balusters each side of three-sided projecting front with fretwork panels. Elaborate plaster arch behind pulpit with console brackets.  

Listed as an unusually large, elaborate and well-preserved chapel for a rural settlement.