20516

 

II  

Designated  

23/09/1998  

23/09/1998  

Jerusalem Chapel  

 

Isle of Anglesey  

Trewalchmai  

 

Gwalchmai  

239115  

375778  

 

Set back, within enclosed grounds, to the E side of a country road leading S off the A5(T) in Gwalchmai; c. 350m SSE of the church of St. Morhaiarn.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The first of the Welsh Presbyterian (Calvinistic Methodist) chapels on this site was built in 1780; this was superceded by the second chapel built in 1849, which was extensively remodelled and refurbished in 1925.  

A lateral entry, 2-storey chapel in a simple Renaissance style. Built of local rubble masonry, rendered elevations throughout (with stressed quoins at angles); modern, shallow pyramidal slate roof. The principal elevation faces W; a strongly symmetrical 3-window range which has a slightly advanced, central, pedimented entrance bay. The 1st floor has a continuous moulded sill band and eaves cornice, the latter with raised lettering which reads: SEFYDLWYD 1780 GWALCHMAI M.C. 1849 AIL-ADEILADWYD (Established 1780 Gwalchmai M.C. 1849 re-built). The central bay has panelled doorways which have moulded architraves with segmental pedimented heads, set to either side and between pilasters, which are rusticated at ground floor level, fluted at first. The inner pilasters are linked above the cornice by a segmental moulded arch; raised lettering above the arch reads: ADGYWEIRIWYD (Renewed/Refurbished) and below the date 1925 (all set within the tympanum of the entrance pediment). The outer pilasters continue upwards to form square piers, surmounted by banded globe finials, flanking the pediment; there is a similarly detailed finial at the apex of the moulded surround. Windows are slightly recessed leaded casements; between the doorways is a stained glass window within a stressed architrave; a corbelled sill, fluted pilasters as jambs supporting a shaped and moulded lintel. Side and rear elevations have slightly recessed, large, 24-pane hooded sash windows.  

Entrance doors lead into a full width vestibule with gallery stairs to each end; stairs are part of the 1920s refurbishment, with shaped balusters and newel posts and a moulded rail. Between the staircases the wall of the chapel is curved to follow the shape of the seating inside, half-glazed doors to either end of the curve lead to the aisles; a leaded window between is situated directly opposite the stained glass window in the outer wall dedicated to Madge Williams, d.1921. The chapel has the set fawr opposing the entrance, 3 ranks of pews radiating out from the set fawr in a semi-circular formation. The set fawr has side entrances and a curved front; facing panels are recessed to the lower part, central beading along the central part, and the upper portion arched on beaded and chamfered piers with acanthus leaf capitals, floriate bosses between each arch. Spaced along the length, and at the entrances, are square newel posts; caps with acanthus leaf decoration, shaped and surmounted by a banded globe finial. The sides of the posts have highly ornate, inset floriate panels (matching detailing on the gallery front). The pulpit is raised by 7 steps; side entrances with newel posts as those for the set fawr, shaped and fluted balusters with a moulded rail. The pulpit is of 3-bays, rectangular, with the central bay bowed to the upper part on a corbelled base with floriate frieze. Facing panels bear highly stylised carvings of flowers recessed within acanthus leaf surrounds, each panel is separated by fluted Corinthian pilasters. The walls of the gallery are plastered, painted with tongued and grooved panelling under a moulded dado rail. Behind the pulpit is a panel of plaster relief; the central part recessed between Tuscan pilasters supporting a moulded arch, this is flanked by paired Corinthian pilasters with fluting to the upper part, supporting a plain frieze with dentilled, moulded cornice, raised as an arch above the central part. The gallery has 3 ranks of raking pews, arranged as the ground floor seating; and is supported on fluted cast-iron piers with floriate capitals. The gallery front is decorated with highly ornate, inset floriate panels; paired rectangular panels interspersed with slightly advanced square panels. Moulded rail above and below the gallery is jettied on shaped brackets, each with a shaped pendant. The ceiling has diagonally set, tongued and grooved panelling between moulded dividers; the central panels with ornate ventilation grilles.  

Included as an example of a mid C19 chapel comprehensively remodelled in a simple Renaissance idiom. There is a consistency of design throughout and a particularly richly detailed interior. The chapel also forms a coherent group with the adjacent chapel house.