5255

 

II  

Designated  

21/05/1993  

14/10/1994  

Tabernacle Chapel  

 

Gwynedd  

Aberdovey  

 

Aberdyfi  

261618  

296027  

 

On the eastern side of the town high above the seafront and reached by a long flight of steps, the gates of which are linked to the flanking terraced properties. The chapel site is cut into the hillside with high revetment wall.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Built 1864 to replace an earlier chapel founded in 1828.  

Simple-Classical, gable-fronted chapel; stone-built with slate roof. Symmetrical, 4-window, scribed-rendered main elevation has pediment treatment and raised stone quoins. Round-headed windows with bracketed hoodmoulds, sills and small-pane glazing; full-height outer windows lighting gallery stairs and two smaller windows to centre over the paired round-headed entrances retaining panelled doors and fanlights. The front has two inscribed tablets; one to gable reads "Tabernacl Adeiladwyd 1864" and the other lower down to centre reads "Tabernacl ir Methodistiadd Calfinaidd yn y Flwyddyn 1828". Attached parallel to the right is the enlarged single-storey chapel hall with conical ventilators to the roof and gabled porch projecting forward from the front of the chapel with round-headed side doorway. 4-window pebbledashed side elevations have round-headed windows, similar to those on the main front; cement-rendered rear. The slate steps up to the chapel are closed at the base with iron gates with spearhead finials and panelled gate-piers, all manufactured by the Coalbrookdale Company, Shropshire. Iron handrails with octagonal newels.  

Scribed-rendered with roses and painted borders to plaster ceiling. The raked gallery is curved at the front end and is carried on simply detailed cast-iron columns. The 'set fawr' and panelled platform remain and the segmental arch behind into the organ chamber is flanked by fluted Corinthian pilasters; organ case remains but organ taken out. At the time of inspection (April 1993) all the seating had been removed and the chapel was disused.  

Listed for the special interest of its well-preserved mid C19 front that is a dominant feature in the townscape of Aberdyfi.