22557

 

II  

Designated  

29/10/1999  

29/10/1999  

Mumbles Methodist Church  

 

Swansea  

Mumbles  

Swansea  

Oystermouth  

261602  

188114  

S  

Prominently sited opposite Oystermouth Square and at the corner of the junction with Dunns Lane.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Built in 1877 by A Totten for £3500.  

A large chapel mixing Romanesque and French Gothic elements, of snecked, rock-faced stone with pale limestone dressings. The symmetrical front is 3-bay, of which the outer bays are 3-stage stair towers brought forward. In the wider central bay, under a steep gablet, is the main doorway beneath a moulded round-headed arch with 4 orders of shafts and stiff leaf capitals. Two round-headed doorways are beneath a tympanum with foliage in relief and a shield bearing the date of the building, and are separated by a 'trumeau' with stiff-leaf capital. The doors are panelled with heavy ribs and some of the panels are replaced in glass. Above and partly obscured by the gablet is a large 3-light window with circular tracery lights, a sill band cut by the gablet and a hood mould continued as an impost band. Both bands continue as string courses in the towers. Beneath the apex are 3 stepped round-headed lights (bricked up) with sill band. The towers have doorways in the lower stage, with tall round heads and a single order of shafts and stiff leaf capitals. The arches frame blank tympana and ribbed and panelled doors are beneath shouldered lintels. Above the lower string course each tower has 2 narrow round-headed lights, then another string course and a moulded offset to the narrower upper stage. The upper stage has 3 square-headed windows and a moulded coping. In the R side wall the stair tower has 3 round-headed lights with a raked sill line respecting the slope of the stair inside. Above the lower string course are 2 round-headed windows, with 3 windows in the upper stage, similar to the front. Further R the main interior is lit by 3 round-headed 2-light windows with circular tracery lights and broad transoms. Further R is a shallow-projecting cross-gabled bay with higher eaves line and a similar but larger 3-light window, above which is a small blind trefoil opening. Beyond this is the 2-storey vestry and school room which has plainer details: a round-headed doorway to the L with double boarded doors, and trefoiled circular window above, and further R 2 round-headed windows in each storey. The angle at the rear is rounded, and the rear elevation is pebble-dashed. It has 2 round-headed windows in each storey (replaced in original openings), stepped blind windows below the apex (similar to the front) and a low lean-to on the R side. The L side wall is similar to the R side.  

The roof is plastered above the collar beams and the principals have corbelled brackets. The ceiling has round traceried panels. A raked gallery is above the entrance and is carried on 2 twisted cast iron columns with Corinthian capitals. Its front has blind cusped segmental-arched panels to the centre and is splayed out to the sides with plainer boarding. (A glass screen is placed beneath the gallery to create a larger vestibule at the entrance.) Plain pine pews. The communion rail has a moulded hand rest, twisted cast iron balusters with raking struts. The rounded pulpit front has similar twisted balusters and moulded hand rail, and panels of cusped segmental arches. The rails continue to the L and R. On the L side are steps with square moulded newels and similar balusters. The arched reredos behind the pulpit has paired shafts with shaft rings and stylised waterleaf capitals, a roll-moulded round arch beneath a gablet with a cusped triangular panel. Foliage finials are to the R, L and in the apex of the gablet. A brass plaque on the N wall commemorates the 1914-18 and 1939-45 wars.  

Listed as a large and ambitious chapel retaining original character and in a prominent location.