22091

 

II  

Designated  

23/07/1999  

22/10/2003  

Capel Salem (Capel y Cwm)  

 

Swansea  

Bonymaen  

Swansea  

Bonymaen  

267757  

195730  

S  

Situated approximately 120m E of the junction of Cwm Chapel Road and the B5444 and just W of the earlier chapel it was built to replace.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Calvinistic Methodist chapel of 1903-5, by W W Williams of Swansea, who died during the construction, the work being completed by W David of Swansea. The contractors were Lloyd Bros of Swansea, and the cost about £7,000. Organ inserted 1916. A similar design on smaller scale survives at Capel Carmel, Clydach, 1901, also by Williams. Of exceptional size and quality, built to seat 1,078. The previous chapel survives as schoolroom and vestry adjoining, disused 1999. This is dated 1782-3, improved 1823, galleried 1831 and improved again 1889. Work is recorded c1867 on this building by John Humphrey including raising walls and building lobbies. A chapel house was built in 1898 to designs by W W Rosser.  

Chapel, rock-faced rubble stone with sandstone ashlar dressings, and slate roof. Very large gable fronted chapel in round-arched style but with buttresses and finials derived from late Gothic to Elizabethan. The gable front is divided into a broad centre and narrow sides by buttresses banded in ashlar. Those flanking the centre are complex with arched ashlar panels below ground floor string course and half-octagonal applied finials above, then set-off at level of main window springing, another just under gable coping and then finials. Finials have pedestal between moulded cornices and octagonal shaft above corniced under ogee cap. Outer buttresses are simpler, paired with similar buttresses on side walls to clasp angles. Single set off at main window sill level and gabled cap just below main gable shoulder. Additionally there are 2 short buttresses flanking centre door with single set off below string course. All buttresses have stepped bases, 4 centre buttresses have granite foundation stones above bases, one laid by Lord Jersey. String courses across centre bay only, another at impost level of big arched centre window continued over as arched hood. A stepped triplet window in gable has arched hoodmould above and rock-faced band below. Gable apex has complex finial of 2 octagonal shafts with double cornices and bell-cast caps, flanking blank plaque with moulded cornice below over a curved apron. Gable triplet has arched lights under arched hood, glazed centre light, louvred shorter side lights. Main arched centre window is large, timber-traceried in 4-lights with simplified Perpendicular style top lights. To each side are sandstone ashlar narrow blank panels. Below sill of main window is ashlar date plaque, string course below. Ground floor has 3 doors in rock-faced stone arched surrounds, double doors with plain fanlights, but the centre door slightly taller and broader. Stone steps between buttresses. Narrow sides have single arched window each floor with sandstone ashlar head and arched hood. Two-storey, 6-window sides, rock-faced rubble with arched windows and stone voussoirs. Ground floor each side has 5 windows, door in end-most position. Rear wall has arched window each floor flanking 2-storey gabled projection for organ with small brick stack. Arched first floor windows, 2 narrow arched ground floor windows each side. Blank end wall.  

Very large interior with 4-sided gallery swept down as choir gallery behind pulpit. 5x1x5 cast iron columns with scroll caps and shaft rings (made by Macfarlane of Glasgow). Gallery front is continuous cast-iron to pattern of close-set arched panels with iron foliate insert at base of each panel. Curved angles, and raked at angles to choir gallery with ironwork correspondingly sloped. Moulded cornice below, label course below upper rail. Ceiling has cornice with brackets under moulded ribs. Deep cove and flat centre of 6x4 panels. Thirteen round vents. Pitch pine pews in 3 blocks, the side blocks canted. Broad curved-ended 'set fawr' with fielded panelled back and blind balustrading around rear. Exceptionally long pulpit platform with steps up each end. Heavy square newels, ramped rails and carved arcaded column balusters, similar to platform front. Big canted pulpit front with fine Art Nouveau relief-carved arched panels, 2 to front, one each side, of plant motifs including lily and vine. Lobby has 4-light leaded window with coloured glass and 2 half-glazed double doors. Very large organ by Peter Conacher & Co at back of choir gallery under moulded arch. Big pipe-front with broat centre broken forward and side pieces. Painted pipes. Gallery seats are curved to follow gallery, and swept down with stepped seats at choir gallery. Four sets of gallery stairs at angles. Room to rear under choir gallery.  

Included for its architectural interest as an exceptionally ornate and large chapel of the early C20, unusually inventive in the motifs used.