23707

 

II  

Designated  

21/07/2000  

21/07/2000  

Seion Congregational Church  

 

Gwynedd  

Llanllyfni  

Caernarfon  

Talysarn  

249099  

353218  

N  

Situated in an elevated position amidst terraced housing approximately half way up Cavour Street; in front of the chapel is a small forecourt behind an irregularly coursed rubblestone wall, topped by C19 iron railings and central gates with finials.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Congregational chapel built in 1862, rebuilt in 1886.  

Rendered rubblestone with stucco dressings; slate roof. Classical style. Front of 1:1:1 bays on rusticated plinth has Doric pilasters to angles and flanking to centre (all fluted to top section only) supporting full entablature and pedimented gable, which has pedimented datestone to apex. Tall 14-paned round-headed windows to outer bays with Corinthian capitals below moulded architraves with keystones. Central bay has round-headed entrance with a pair of panelled doors to recess. Above is a string course and a 16-paned segmental-headed window; both the entrance and the window have the same Corinthian capitals and moulded architraves as the tall windows to the outer bays. Return walls in 4 bays, both with tall round-headed windows as on front but without the architectural enrichment.  

Internal lobby has staircase with turned balusters to gallery. Main hall as completed in 1886, with all fittings and furnishings in pitch pine, has box pews throughout with set fawr to far end. This has organ occupying the full size of a moulded round-headed arch supported by tapering plain pilasters. In front of the organ is the pulpit flanked by straight-flight staircases leading to railed enclosure below, the staircases, pulpit sides and enclosure all with turned balusters. Gallery around 3 sides on cast-iron columns has raked seating and panelled front; C19 clock to entrance end. Flat boarded ceiling has applied timber ribbing as decoration with 2 richly moulded plaster roses; plaster coving has Art Nouveau floral motif to lower section with stamped decoration above.  

Included as a good example of a Congregational chapel occupying a striking townscape location and retaining a fine C19 interior.