20588

 

II  

Designated  

19/10/1998  

19/10/1998  

Bethel Addoldy yr Annibynwyr including Ty-capel, Schoolroom and associated teacher's house  

 

Conwy  

Pentrefoelas  

Pentrefoelas  

Pentrefelin  

288636  

350946  

S  

The group of attached buildings is set on a T-junction on the road from Rhydlydan to Pentrefoelas, approximately 600m W of Rhydlydan.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

The first Independent chapel on this site was built in 1810, and enlarged in 1838. It was further enlarged and refitted in 1882, much of the present fabric surviving unaltered from that date. The caretaker's house appears to have been attached in the mid C19, and the school and teacher's house added in 1903.  

The chapel is of squared and coursed local stone with limestone quoining, and has a hipped slate roof. Symmetrical front elevation of 3 bays, the centre set forward and gabled, and has an attached single storey wide hip-roofed porch sheltering the entrances, with boot scrapers either side. The centre of the porch is open, with two gates and spear-headed railings. Four-panelled doors with grained finish lead to the body of the chapel. Above the porch, twin margin-glazed windows with segmental heads, and a framed datestone in the gable. Each side bay has tall 12-pane fixed light windows. The single bay caretaker's house is attached on the right and set back. Twelve-paned sash window to the ground floor, 9-pane above, and a modern door, all openings having heavy stone lintels. Gable stack. A lean-to is set back at the side, with a boarded door. Modern extension to the rear. The schoolroom is attached and set back on the left of the chapel. Single-storey, rendered, with a slate roof set lengthwise to the road and terminating in the 2-storey gabled teacher's house. Central gabled porch to the schoolroom with a framed and battened door and overlight. Two small windows to the side. The house is 2 bays deep with a central stack. Door to the rear bay and end lean-to. The spear-headed front railings to the right of the chapel, extending over Ty-capel are set on a stone wall, with a gate matching those of the chapel. The railings and gate to the school are similar but to a 1903 design.  

The ceiling of the chapel is divided by two ornamented deep cross beams into three transverse compartments. Extensive pine pews seating approximately 280 persons, forming a single central bank and cross benching raked towards the sides. Enclosure to the set fawr panelled with a balustered crowning gallery and rounded corners, and steps rising to the pulpit, also galleried. The recess behind the pulpit has a window. Reading desk is provided with a drawer. On the walls, two memorial tablets to the dead of both world wars. The school room has a 3-bay open roof and ceiling with a central ventilation rose. Pine dado. The room is furnished with iron-framed reversible benches with hinged writing desks. Steps at the end rise to a door to the house.  

Included as a distinctive and intact example of a C19 rural chapel with attached associated buildings.