20961

 

II  

Designated  

25/11/1998  

25/11/1998  

Aberffraw Calvinistic Methodist Chapel  

 

Isle of Anglesey  

Aberffraw  

 

Aberffraw  

235426  

369016  

W  

Slightly set back from the W side of Chapel Street, with an enclosed yard to front (N), and c. 225m NNE of the church of St. Beuno, Aberffraw. The chapel house and earlier schoolroom range is directly N of the chapel.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Mid C19, the third of the Calvinistic Methodist chapels on the site, the first was built in 1785, the second in 1822. This building was erected in 1861 and restored in 1905 (recorded on a date plaque on the entrance elevation).  

A single storey, gable-entry, Calvinistic Methodist Chapel. Rendered elevations; hipped slate roof with broadly projecting eaves and verges. The entrance elevation is symmetrical, at the centre a round-headed plaque beneath a triangular pedimented canopy on moulded corbels. The plaque has a circular motif at its head, a dove flying over a bible, around which the inscription reads: CAPEL Y METHODISTIAD CALVINAIDD; below: Y Cyntaf yn 1785 / Yr Ail yn 1822 / Y Trydydd yn 1861 / Adgyweiriwyd 1905 (First 1785 / Second 1822 / Third 1861 / Restored 1905). Flanking the plaque are slightly recessed, round-headed, hornless sash windows (the upper part with radiating glazing bars); the windows linked by a continuous rendered sill on square corbels. Flanking panelled doors are set under rectangular fanlights with glazing bars; recessed in rendered surrounds with moulded canopies on moulded and fluted brackets. The angles of all elevations have stressed, rendered quoins; each side elevation has 4 windows, similarly detailed to those at entrance elevation but with stressed rendered surrounds and keystones at heads. The rear elevations has 2 similarly detailed windows (without keystones).  

Each doorway leads into a small vestibule with angled, half-glazed doors leading into the chapel; set fawr is at opposite end. The set fawr is rectangular, raised by 2 steps and has a wide central bay advanced to front with side entrances; recessed panelling under a plain rail and square newel posts with moulded caps. The pulpit is raised by 3 steps, has side entrances and an advanced central bay, with a bow front; recessed panelling to the lower part bears ornate floriate carving, the upper part a plain frieze over a moulded band and under a moulded cornice. Raking pews follow the shape of the chapel, with a central bank facing the set fawr. Walls have tongued and grooved panelling under a tiled dado, the dado broken by a moulded plaster panel behind the pulpit. The moulded panel has 3 deep domed recesses interspersed with fluted Ionic pilasters and surmounted by a segmental pediment with moulded surround. Windows flanking the pulpit have Art Nouveau style floriate stained glass. The ceiling comprises deeply recessed plaster panels with moulded surrounds; central panels have arched recesses and outer panels with latticework ventilation grilles. All around the central panels is a deep coving with plasterwork relief decoration; a continous diamond pattern with flowers at each intersection and fleur de lys in each diamond, each corner has acanthus leaf scrolling.  

Listed as a well-preserved example of a simple mid C19 chapel, which forms part of a group with the adjacent chapel house and schoolroom range.