5754

 

II  

Designated  

16/06/1989  

16/10/1998  

Smyrna Congregational Chapel and Hall  

 

Isle of Anglesey  

Llangefni  

Llangefni  

Llangefni  

245862  

375499  

 

Set back slightly from the W side of Glanhwfa Road, opposite the Shire Hall.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Built in 1903 to replace a chapel built on the site in 1844.  

Gable entry chapel and adjacent hall, which is linked to the chapel by a vestibule to the rear. Simple Classical front faced with snecked rubble and freestone dressings, other elevations rendered. Slate roof with red clay ridge tiles and stone copings, hall with moulded kneelers. The front elevation of the chapel is symmetrically planned with the entrance in the slightly recessed central bay set under a rounded arch resting on the entablature of the outer bays and breaking the moulded gable pediment. Set within the arch is a stone tablet which reads: SMYRNA, ADDOLDY YR ANNIBNWYR, ADEILADWYD 1844, AIL-ADEILADWYD 1903 (SMYRNA, INDEPENDENT HOUSE OF WORSHIP, BUILT 1844, RE-BUILT 1903). The entrance is a round-headed, keystoned arch on Tuscan pilasters; a stained glass arched fanlight over the panelled double doors. Above the entrance is a tripartite window of 3 round-headed lights with narrow vertical and horizontal margin paned sashes; each arch has a stressed keystone, and a bracketted sill band extends across the bay. There are similarly detailed, tall windows in the flanking bays, the sill bands extending out to the Tuscan pilasters, the outermost set in slightly from the corners of the front face. Each of the outer bays has a plinth which continues down each side elevation. The entrance is raised and reached by a lateral stone staircase with sidewall. Each side elevation is rendered, 4-windows with round-headed arched, rendered surrounds; R(N) side has sash windows with vertical and horizontal margin panes, L(S) elevation is shuttered. The shorter adjacent hall is linked to the chapel by a vestibule to the rear. Contemporary with the chapel and of the same materials, the hall has a symmetrically planned front elevation, a 2-window range with central doorway under a keyed oculus. The doorway and windows are similarly detailed to those of the front elevation of the chapel; though smaller in scale and the window sills are neither bracketted nor continuous.  

The main entrance leads into a small tiled vestibule with side doors leading into the chapel beyond. The chapel has 3 ranks of raking pews, the central rank with central divider. The set fawr is at the far end and is raised by one step with side entrances flanked by plain newels capped with banded globe finials; the front is bowed with framed recessed panels under a dentilled cornice. The pulpit is rectangular, 3-bays with an advanced central bay and has side entrances raised by 3 steps; steps have shaped balusters under a moulded rails and shaped newels with banded globe finials. The front is panelled, the central bay with carved floriate inset panels, under a dentilled cornice. Behind the pulpit is a moulded plaster panel; a moulded, keystoned arch on Corithian pilasters, the capitals linked by a moulded floriate band, a Renaissance floral motif in the tympanum, 3 round-headed arched panels in the space below. The walls are ashlar scored with tongued and grooved panelling to the lower part and a moulded cornice. The ceiling is coved; the central part is of 3 recessed plaster panels with tongued and grooved borders linked by moulded floriate plaster panels at the corners. Each central panel has a floriate wooden ventilation grille at the centre, with a moulded floriate surround; moulded dividers extend out to meet the tongued and grooved borders, each divided section with acanthus leaf moulded edging. The vestibule to the rear right of the chapel leads into the vestry and adjacent hall; the hall and vestry have ashlar scored walls with tongued and grooved panelling to the lower part, and like the chapel have chamfered angles to the door panels. To the rear of the hall is a modern kitchen.  

Included as a well-preserved example of an early C20 chapel and hall which together form part of an excellent group of civic and religious buildings built at the turn of the century, reflecting the development of Llangefni as the county town. The buildings form a particularly strong group with the Shire Hall.