22758

 

II  

Designated  

06/12/1999  

28/10/2004  

Bethel Chapel  

 

Pembrokeshire  

Mynachlog-Ddu  

Clynderwen  

Mynachlog Ddu  

214530  

230374  

 

Situated on the E side of a minor road to Glandy Cross some 250m S of the road junction at Mynachlog Ddu.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Baptist chapel of 1875-7 built to replace a chapel of 1821 which survives as the schoolroom adjoining, this in turn replaced one of 1794. The chapel has close similarities with a group of chapels in N Pembrokeshire, including Bethabara at Pontyglasier, Crymych community, of 1873, and Glanrhyd in Nevern community.  

Chapel, squared Preseli stone with roughcast side and rear walls. Slate roof overhanging at eaves with plain bargeboards to front gable and paired brackets to side and short return under bargeboards. Gable front with arched openings, grey Cilgerran or Rosebush stone voussoirs and outer arch rings. Roundel in gable with pierced slate ventilator, rectangular plaque beneath, two long side windows and pair of small centre windows over broad door. Slate sills. Timber window glazing bars replaced c1940, also probably door and fanlight. Slate chamfered cap to low plinth. Two-window sides and 2-window end gable with similar long windows.  

Galleried interior with plastered walls and boarded ceiling. Three-sided gallery on fluted columns made by T Thomas of Cardigan. Panelled gallery front in long panels divided by squares, curved square panels in the 2 angles. Clock by T Thomas, cardigan. Pews in 3 blocks, with shaped ends and panelled backs, some inward-facing pews flanking pulpit. Set fawr with turned newels and finials, echoed on newels of platform stairs. Break-front platform with Jacobean-style pierced panels with low open rail above with turned finials. Similar Jacobean-style panels to platform sides. Behind pulpit is plaster arch with panelled pilasters, big decorative consoles and ornate arch mouldings. Ceiling has narrow coved cornice and small plastered border but is mostly boarded in 4 divided by diagonal timber centre ring around a very ornate plaster rose with 6-petal flower at centre and ring of 6 large acanthus leaves, all surrounded by an ornate ring. Lobby has one square window with coloured glass in margins, 2 doors into chapel, 2 sets of stairs to gallery.  

Included for its special interest as a good example of a chapel of the 1870s with elaborate plasterwork to the ceiling rose and well detailed woodwork. Of interest also for the grouping with the earlier chapel of 1821, illustrating the continuity of worship and the growth of the cause, typical of the later C19.