6344

 

II  

Designated  

14/07/1981  

29/07/2005  

Wesley Chapel  

 

Pembrokeshire  

Pembroke  

Pembroke  

Pembroke  

198768  

201350  

 

In a prominent position facing E along Main Street near its E junction with East Back.  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

 

Former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel of 1871-2 by K. W. Ladd of Pembroke Dock. The chapel replaces one of 1822 on the same site, shown in old photographs as having had concave curved sides to the gable. The present chapel with giant Corinthian pedimented front influenced by the designs of John Humphrey is one of the most architecturally elaborate chapel fronts in Wales. It cost £2,200, seated 450, the foundation stone was laid 28/6/1871 and it was opened in June 1872. The ashlar dressings including the giant columns are of Doulting stone, the capitals carved by Mr Porter of Bath. The chapel is raised on a basement schoolroom with two classrooms, and the rear of the chapel has vestries and conveniences. The side galleries, to the original design were not inserted until c. 1879. The chapel is now used as an antiques centre and has been stripped of gallery fronts, pews, pulpit and other fittings.  

Former Wesleyan chapel in Victorian Italianate or semi-classical style, unpainted stucco with Bath stone dressings. Slate roof with coped gables and small w end chimney. Imposing three-bay E front elevation with giant Corinthian order, two inner columns and outer channelled pilasters, carrying full entablature and pediment. Tooled grey limestone pedestals. The entablature curves in giant semi-circle into the base of the pediment over the broad centre bay. This has a very large arched window with moulded arch and panelled pilasters, in Italianate style but three-light Gothic tracery with roll-mouldings, cusped heads to lights and three quatrefoils above. Ashlar sill course. Below is broad moulded segmental arch on short Gothic corbelled side shafts framing recess with pair of arched doors with moulded arches on three channeled piers, and ashlar roundels in fanlights. Console brackets attached to pilaster capitals, under fanlight lintels. Double panelled doors. The narrower side bays have arched window each floor with ashlar dentilled string courses at impost levels and moulded sill courses. Chamfered ashlar plinth. Two console brackets under main entablature each side. Windows have moulded arches, and 'Florentine' ashlar tracery of two lights and a roundel. Front doors are reached by broad flight of eleven Forest of Dean stone steps with low side walls. Side elevations are stuccoed, five bays with raised piers and ashlar corbel table at top of each bay. Channelled piers at E corners, returned from E front, with entablature block and cornice. Close eaves elsewhere, ashlar arched windows above, with dentilled impost string course, arched hoods, 2-light and roundel unmoulded tracery. Segmental stilted heads to windows below, similar dentilled string courses and hoods, and 2-light cusped tracery. S side E bay has door with stilted cambered head, hood, roll-moulded jambs and double doors. Basement has cambered-headed ashlar 3-light windows. Rendered W end with narrow rear inset bay, two narrow cambered headed windows to upper floor, window and door below on S, window only on N.  

Entrance lobby with doors to chapel in canted side walls and gallery stairs in angles. Stairs with chamfered newels. Three-sided gallery on ten thick iron columns with leaf capitals and scrolls, the gallery fronts missing. Side-wall corbels supporting triangular trusses under raked side galleries. Ceiling with deep coved sides and centre divided by panelled plaster strips into two big squares each with centre roundel linked by four ribs to outer square. Rear broad stilted cambered-headed organ arch on pilasters. Main window has some late C19 stained glass with floral roundels, patterned coloured glass and a centre panel with multicolour-winged dove.  

Included for its special architectural interest as a Victorian Italianate chapel of definite character, a major landmark in the old town.