23297

 

II  

Designated  

19/05/2000  

19/05/2000  

Rehoboth Baptist Chapel  

 

Neath Port Talbot  

Briton Ferry  

 

Briton Ferry  

274157  

193995  

E  

Set back from Neath Road (A474) behind forecourt gates and approximately 150m NE of the A48 roundabout.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

A Welsh Baptist chapel founded in 1848. The present building was built in 1861 (dates on building). The interior was formerly lit with dormer windows in the side walls. These were removed when the building was re-roofed and the window frames were set into a new deep coving. The organ projection at the rear is a later addition as it is not shown on the 1877 Ordnance Survey.  

Classical-style chapel of coursed rock-faced sandstone with ashlar key and impost blocks, and a synthetic slate roof. The gable end front has plain deep angle pilasters. The windows all have early C20 Y-tracery inserted into the original openings. A central round-headed doorway has double doors with fielded panels and is surmounted by a later overlight with Art Nouveau glass. The impost block on the R bears an inscription giving the dates of the foundation of the chapel and of the present building. The outer bays have single round-headed windows. At the upper level the windows have an impost band. The central bay has a triple round-headed window of which the centre light is larger. The outer bays have similar single windows. Below the apex is a keyed oculus. The R side wall has a later render and is 3-window with margin-lit horned sashes. These are flat-headed at the lower level and round-headed at the upper level lighting the gallery. The L side wall is similar but with shallow segmental heads to the lower tier of windows, and also has a later render. Behind is a lower, narrower organ projection with round-headed side windows. Disabled access ramp.  

The vestibule has 3 coloured glass panels flanked by plain wooden doors to the main chapel and gallery stairs, which have balusters and newels. The main chapel has scribed plaster walls and a 3-sided raked gallery carried on short bulging Tuscan cast iron columns standing on tall square wooden bases. The gallery front has blind fretwork panels. The ceiling is boarded and ribbed with 6 circular ceiling vents. Former window frames with margin lights are set into the deep coving. The main chapel has panelled pine box pews. The set fawr has no permanent seat but is framed by a balustrade with moulded square balusters with shaped and fluted newels. The pulpit is flanked by steps, which have stylised arches above plain balusters. The plain balusters continue and face the front above panelling, while the polygonal pulpit has a central inserted memorial plaque with raised gold letters dedicated to the Reverend D.B. Jones, a former minister (d. 1962). The baptistery is concealed behind the pulpit beneath floorboards. Behind the baptistery is a recess under a plain round arch housing the organ.  

Listed for its architectural interest as a well-designed C19 chapel retaining robust original character and detail, including a fine 1860s gallery.