19062

 

II  

Designated  

12/11/1997  

12/11/1997  

Capel y Garn  

 

Ceredigion  

Tirymynach  

Aberystwyth  

Bow Street  

262667  

285416  

 

Situated, at the N end of the linear village of Bow Street, on the W side of the A 487, in iron-railed forecourt.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Calvinist Methodist chapel of 1833, altered 1865 and 1900. Successor to chapels of 1793 and 1813. Originally a plain but large building, built by Thomas Jenkins, Blaenddol and Huw Dafydd, Dolau, masons, with Lenart Jones, carpenter. Gallery inserted in 1865-6 by William Jones of Dolau. The chapel was given a classical stucco facade in 1900 at a cost of £502 by Thomas Jones of Dolau. The attribution of the design to John Hartland of Cardiff, may be wrong as no Cardiff architect of that name can be traced. The 1900 work also included pews, pulpit and a vestry under the rear gallery.  

Chapel with lateral wall facade and slate roof and red crested ridge tiles. Original facade of 1833 was plain rubble stone, with 3x16-pane upper sash widows, two 24-pane centre windows, and a plain boarded door each side. These elements remain, disguised, in 1900 remodelling. Painted lined stucco with bracketted eaves. Centre pedimental gable on two pilasters with foliated capitals and moulded bases, over twin arched tall windows with leaded glazing, and timber bars. Linked sills and imposts, and moulded hoods with key-stones. Keyed roundel window above. Cartouche tablet in gable, with cherubs flanking, inscribed: 'GARN 1900'. Outer bays have similar pilasters, paired with quoin strips, at outer angles. Double 3-panel doors in moulded architraves with pediments on consoles. Gallery lights above are large 6-pane with leaded glazing, in moulded shoulderered surrounds. S end has 1833 slate cladding, with plain projecting verge. Two windows each floor, similar to upper front windows. W rear is rubble stone, with 6 stone-voussoired windows, also similar. N end has 3 windows as S side, the fourth replaced by N extension.  

Fine interior has gallery of 1865 on 3 sides with rounded angles. 4 cast-iron pillars each side, with acanthus leaf capitals and marbled graining. Rear W gallery has 1900 vestry beneath and is supported on 4 ornate corbels. Gallery front has long timber panels grained in contrasting colours. Panelled piers between long panels and centre W clock of 1865. Wall clock under N gallery: 'A P Jones Aberystwyth 1866'. Grained pine box-pews of 1865 in gallery with flat ends, and panelled backs. Lower pews, of 1900, are pitch-pine, open, with flat chamfered panels, flat-topped ends and roll-moulded tops. Pulpit (temporarily removed 1996 for conservation work) on E wall on stepped platform, below centre windows. Great-seat has curved ends and rail with turned balusters. Entrance lobbies under gallery-ends each side of pulpit, with gallery stairs. 6-panel doors and 2-light windows with etched glass and coloured margins, encaustic tile floors. Vestry has centre panelled door flanked by sash windows, similar to those in lobbies. Chapel has plaster coffered ceiling, with two ceiling-vent roses. Queen-post trusses to roof above.  

Of special interest as a lateral wall plan of the 1830s successively adapted, with fine galleried interior of the 1860s and a handsome stucco front of 1900.