- Nprn: 11589
- Cadw Ref: AD
- Cadw Record No: 19062
- Summary: The Reverend John Evans began preaching in the area in 1780-84, and the first Calvinist Methodist Chapel (known as "Jehovah-Jire") was built in 1793. It was rebuilt in 1812 as Capel Mawr, and rebuilt again in 1833 as Capel Y Garn. Further modifications occurred in with the addition of a gallery in 1865, a chapel house in 1870 and a new façade and internal remodelling in 1900. Capel-y-Garn is now Grade 2 Listed.
The front wall of the 1833 chapel was faced with coursed stone with stone voussoirs to the cambered door and window heads: a wooden-boarded door at either end with a 16-pane gallery window above it, just below eaves; a similar window in centre and a tall 24-pane pulpit sash window to each side below. The present chapel façade, dated 1905, has a Classical and stuccoed lateral façade and a long-wall entry plan with end doorways. There is a six-pane gallery window above each doorway with an architrave and keystone. Beneath the centre gable are two tall-semi-circular windows.
The pulpit is central to the wall and the groundfloor open bench seats are of around 1900 and the box pews above from 1865. The vestry is below the gallery in the rear portion of the 1833 chapel. The roof has a king-post. The Chapel house and attached stable wing are linked to the chapel by a 1980's meeting room. - Description: Cause c.1790; Built 1793; Rebuilt 1813, 1833, architect W.Jones, 1865, 1900, architect J.Hartland of Cardiff. Built in the Sub-Classical style, long-wall entry type. Status (1998): Chapel
The Reverend John Evans began preaching in the area in 1780-84, and the 1st Calvinistic Methodist Chapel was built in 1793 (known as "Jehovah-Jire"); the 2nd, larger, chapel - Capel Mawr - in 1813 and the present, 3rd, chapel on a different site, nearer the village of Penygarn, in 1832-33; the chapel was opened on 15th February, 1833. The front wall of the 1833 chapel was faced with coursed stone with stone voussoirs to the cambered door and window heads: a wooden-boarded door at either end with a 16-pane gallery window above it, just below eaves; a similar window in centre and a tall 24-pane pulpit sash window to each side below. Sittings as given in the Religious Census of 1851 were: free 75; other 366; standing 100. Gallery added in 1865-66; payment of œ480 to William Jones. The chapel house was rebuilt in 1870, its upper floor used initially as a school and for chapel business. In 1900, in addition to remodelling the front, the rear of the chapel, under the gallery, was converted to a vestry, the floor of the chapel was raised half a yard and new ground-floor seating, Sedd Fawr and pulpit, were installed; Anthony Jones has suggested the renovation was to the design of John Hartland. The remodelling of the front included a stucooed facacde, the removal of the sash windows and alteration of the window openings, and the addition of a central pedimented gable. Figures as given in Horsfall-Turner (1903): attendance, 428; number in s.s.: 317. The front façade was simplified in 1984-86 and new hardwood windows added following a fungal outbreak; Meeting and Sunday School Room and toilet wing also of 1980s. Chapel re-opened in July 1986. Present sittings: ca. 570? (estimate made on site).
Summary: stone-built chapel; classical and stuccoed lateral façade with end doorways; centre pulpit backing on to the façade. Gallery. Open bench seats of ca. 1900 below; box pews of 1865 above. Vestry below gallery in rear portion of 1833 chapel. King-post roof. Chapel house and attached stable wing, linked to the chapel by the 1980s meeting room.
Exterior: walls of stone from Cefn Hendre quarries. Double-pitched slate roof with pierced red-tile cresting and end terracotta finials.
Stuccoed front elevation with dark-grey painted plinth, dressings and banded end quoins. 4 giant pilasters with palmette caps, 1 sited towards either end and 2 under central pedimental gable. End doorways, each with moulded stuccoed architrave, dark grey and returning at base over plinth, and each with 2 doors of 3 square moulded panels; stuccoed pediment on consoles. The 6-pane gallery window above each doorway in an opening with moulded eared architrave and keystone, and with bracketed cill; the 4 lower panes of etched and translucent glass and the 2 top panes of leaded and tinted glass. Beneath the centre gable, 2 tall semi-circular headed windows backing on to the pulpit; these have moulded archivolts and keystones and leaded and tinted glass with some stained glass: 2-pane vertical strip in centre with stained-glass flower in the rounded head; 2-pane vertical strip to each side and 2 quadrant panes at the top; common moulded cill; linked at impost level by a fluted stuccoed panel. A keyed oculus between the window heads with inset stained-glass flower head and margin panes. Set in the gable, a stuccoed cartouche with flanking putti and inscribed "Garn 1900". The cornice at the base of the pedimental gable was removed during the repairs of 1984-86.
NE. gable and rear elevations of coursed rubble; SW. gable slate hung above stucco. 2-storey NE. & SW. gables each of 2 bays: slate hoods over SW. windows. 6-pane, 2-light windows with new hardwood frames: top 2 panes of leaded blue and mauve glass, with green margin strips; bottom 4 panes of translucent glass, partly etched, as in the middle panes of NE. ground-floor windows, with etched glass also in both bottom and middle panes of NE. 1st floor windows, and of ground and 1st floor SW. windows. Similar wood-framed windows of 6 panes in the 3-bay rear elevation; plain translucent glass to the 3 rear gallery windows.
Interior: front lobbies (summary): the 2 front lobbies each with encaustic tile floor, etched side window of ca. 1900 overlooking Sedd Fawr; gallery stair on other side, door to chapel straight ahead.
Front lobbies (detail): 2-light side window overlooking Sedd Fawr, of 2 etched centre panes and etched red and white foliate margin panes; etched white crosses on red ground to small square panes, e.g. at angles. Tile floor: design of red octagons with little gold crosses on small black rectangles at the intersections with the octagons; black and beige tile borders enclosing a deeper foliate border of gold on a red ground. Painted and grained rear faces to front doors. Single doors to chapel interior of 6 moulded panels. Gallery stairs with aluminium nosings and green lino treads; 4 bottom steps rise to turn, flanked by turned baluster handrail with large turned newel; 4 moulded-panel door at foot of upper flight of 16 steps, the latter flanked by plain handrail and coat hooks on wood board.
Chapel interior: wood block herringbone floor. Cream/white-painted plaster walls above matchboarded dado along front lobbies and chamfered-panel dado/ pew linings at sides and rear. Window openings with beaded jambs and splayed reveals; on ground floor with sloping cills, the side windows with cills of timber; gallery windows with flat timber cills, renewed 1984-86, the front gallery windows with sloping cills. The wall of ca. 1900 between the chapel and the rear vestry contains doorways with single 4 moulded-panel doors at the ends of the 3 chapel aisles; there is also a sash window behind each centre block of seats, with similar glazing pattern to side windows of lobbies, and in stained and moulded architrave frames.
Seating (ground floor): varnished open bench seats with shallow chamfered panel backs and shaped and flat-topped ends, the last with umbrella holders. Single side blocks of 5 seats depth with 2-panel backs; the seats face ahead but are raked forward along the external walls; numbered 6-10 on S. and 41-45 on N.; corner seats at back (11 & 40); block of 3 seats in front facing on to centre chapel at right angles: 2 chamfered-panel backs: 3-5 on S. & 46-48 on N.). 2 blocks of paired seats in centre, separated by centre aisle and facing the pulpit (nos. 12-18 & 19-25 on S. and 26-32 and 33-39 on N.); discontinuous seat dividers in middle with seat backs alternately of 2 and 3-panel width; 7 seats deep and each block with a further narrow outer seat at front. Seats 1 & 2 and 49 & 50 are missing and comprised flanking pews to Sedd Fawr and pulpit (removed after fungal outbreak of ca. 1984).
Sedd Fawr enclosure, pulpit and flanking bench seats: the pulpit and flanking seats of ca. 1900 were removed in 1984-86 and the shape of the Sedd Fawr enclosure simplified. The Sedd Fawr is enclosed at front by 3 moulded panels below a parapet of turned balusters, the narrow panelled and curved ends enclosing the ends of the bench seats; the front rail now opens in the centre; there are square newels at the side entries, partly fluted, with vermillion-tinted quatrefoils to square caps and truncated pyramidal and ball finials. The 3-sided pulpit, renewed in mid 1980s, has stepped tops to its canted sides and is made up of brown wood panels raised above a black-painted ground. 3 C19 country chairs below lobby to N. of pulpit (in place of seats 49 & 50?) and 1 similar chair on S.; 2 further similar chairs with scroll arms and an Aberystwyth Eisteddfod chair of 1881 (won by chapel choir) against the external wall. 2-manual electronic organ: Johannus.
Gallery: 3-sided gallery curved at end intersections, painted and grained gallery beam supported by 8 green-painted and marbled columns with caps and gold shaft rings, the 4 rear columns embedded in the ca. 1900 vestry wall with herms as caps on chapel side. The gallery front projects above vermillion-painted brackets and is faced with wide and shallow moulded panels, stained vermillion in centre and separated by vermillion-panelled pilasters with rounded heads and bracket caps. 3 panels to gallery sides, 2 at end and 1 at each intersection; integral gallery clock of 1865: "O Owens Liverpool".
Gallery seating: stained and grained box pews with sunk-panel backs and brown-stained three-quarter handrails and seat dividers, the last ramped up straight from seat to seat without the simple curves of 1840s seating (viz: Capel Bethel, New Quay, 1849 (NPRN: 7193) and Yr Hen Gapel, Tre'r-ddol, 1845 (NPRN: 11589). Black and gold-painted numbers on doors. Each side from Sedd Fawr end: single block of 5 seats, the front 3 with 7 vertical-panel backs, the 4th seat narrower and the 5th a bit wider. 2): paired block, 3 seats deep, and with 6-panel seat backs; a 4th seat beyond the staircase. Wall bench along external walls. 3): curved paired block round gallery intersection: 4 deep, and the seats successively wider towards the back: viz: two 4-panel seat backs at front, two 6-panel seat backs, then two 8-panel seat backs and three 6-panel seat backs . Behind the rear aisle, steps up to rear corners of chapel, flanked by pews in front of corner pew. 4); facing on to the pulpit, a paired block of 4 seats with 6-panel seat backs. Wall bench seat with matchboarded back at rear, extending between rear corner pews. Varnished vent box each side.
On ground floor, wall clock with carved bracket sides, dated 1866 and bearing legend:"A P Jones Aberystwyth"; on S. side, brass tablet as 1st World War memorial.
The rear vestry area, accessible by steps down from the chapel, comprises 2 rooms separated by a screen of folding panelled doors of ca. 1900; painted-plaster walls - part pale green, part darker green and part ochre - above a matchboarded dado; white-plaster ceiling, partly flat and in part sloping.
Chapel forecourt: tarmacadamed chapel forecourt on SE.; concrete path in front of chapel house, with 3 steps up to iron gate in wall and railings, with pavement beyond. Chapel forecourt enclosed by brick walls and railings, the latter probably also of ca. 1900. Wall of engineering bricks on NE., SE. and SW.. Iron railings in form of iron twist uprights, branching at the top into linking arches, the last with floriate finials; octagonal standards with foliate finials. Gates of similar design but with lower square uprights set within the top rail arcading. Pair of gates with octagonal gate posts, up 3 steps (2 of slate) in SE. wall, along street; single gate in NE. wall.
Ty Capel and stables: 2-storey chapel house and former stables of 1 storey and loft comprises a stone-built linear range; also 1-storey N. wing to chapel house. 3-bay NE. and SW. fronts to chapel house. The stuccoed SW. elevation faces on to the chapel forecourt from which it is separated by a low wall and railings (see above under "Chapel forecourt") and has later-C20 12-pane and brown-stained windows with top-opening panes; l.h. 1st-floor window blocked ; 6 raised and fielded panelled door and overlight. The ground floor of the NE. elevation is painted white below and is of stone rubble at 1st floor; coved yellow-brick eaves cornice; three 12-pane sash windows with cambered yellow brick heads at 1st floor and 1 to r.h. below. The 1-storey wing at right angles to the NE. front has a sash window and a half-glazed door in its NW. elevation.
The 1-storey stables have a straight joint in the SW. facing elevation, the earlier walling on the W. of the joint resembling that of the chapel, with stone voussoirs to the opening. In the NE.-facing side, 3 doorways with wood lintels and wooden-boarded doors, with small 4-pane window over E. door. The 1980s meeting room wing is built between the stables and the chapel.
Conclusion: like Tabernacle CM. chapel, Cardigan, an 1830s lateral-façade chapel, reronted ca. 1900, though less drastically than at Cardigan. The 1833 Capel-y Garn was of stylistic influence in its neighbourhood, since Bwlch-y-Gwynt CM chapel, Tregaron, is know to have derived its design from it. Capel y Garn is an interesting example of a chapel with a known fabric development from the 1830s to 1980s.
See Capel y Garn: trem yn ol (1966); Y Garn yn gant a hanner (Aberystwyth: The Cambrian News (printers), 1983); Nerys Ann Jones, Capel y Garn c. 1793-1933 (Talybont: Y Lolfa, 1993); E.R. Horsfall-Turner, Walks and wanderings in County Cardigan (1903).
Visited 28/11/96 by DJR, PI, PM & OJ. OJ 29/11/96-1/97.
First quality work by Heartland who here replays his low-relief work on Tabernacle, Hayes and now the Music-Hall, both in Cardiff. Completely reworked the existing Jones sidewall chapel in an original way by compiling new architectural forms that obliterated the old forms while yet not demolishing the building. Added a gabled pediment, mouldings, a circular window, pilasters with decorated capitals. Stuccoed front, slated sides with etched glass used throughout.
Plaque is very unusual shaped, shield-like, supported by cherubs. Chapel house in complimentary treatment.
Photos exist of the old chapel in "Tremynol" booklet of the chapel history.(Anthony Jones) - Gallery Added: 1865 Source:Cadw
- Altered: 1900 Source:Cadw
- Stucco Facade: 1900 Source:Cadw
- Pews, Pulpit, Rear Vestry: 1900 Source:Cadw
- Front Facade Simplified: 1984-1886 Source:Jenkins, O.M.
- Wall Clock: 1866 Source:Cadw
- Gallery Added: 1865-1866 Source:Cadw
- Altered: 1865-1866 Source:Cadw
- Gallery Added: 1865-1866 Source:Jenkins, O.M.
- Gallery Added: 1866 Source:Anthony Jones
- Built: c.1831 Source:1851 Census
- "built"/rebuilt?: 1900 Source:James, Evan
- Built: 1793 Source:Cadw
- Built: 1793 Source:Anthony Jones
- Cause: c.1790 Source:Horsfall-Turner
- Chapel House Built: 1870 Source:Anthony Jones
- Chapel House Rebuilt: 1870 Source:Jenkins, O.M.
- Date Of Chapel: 1833 Source:Cadw
- Front Remodelled: 1900 Source:Jenkins, O.M.
- Rebuilt: 1813 Source:Cadw
- Rebuilt: 1813 Source:Anthony Jones
- Renewed: 1900 Source:Anthony Jones
- Rebuilt: 1833 Source:Anthony Jones
- Meeting & Sunday School: 1980-1989 Source:Jenkins, O.M.
- Vestry: 1900 Source:Jenkins, O.M.
- Architect: 1865 William Jones, Dole
- Builder: 1900 Thomas Jones, Dole
- Clockmaker: 1866 A.P. Jones, Aberystwyth
- Carpenter: 1833 Lenart Jones,
- Mason: 1833 Huw Dafydd, Dolau
- Mason: 1833 Thomas Jenkins, Blaenddol
- Architect: 1900 Joseph Alfred Hartland, Cardiff
- Architect: 1833 William Jones,
- £ 502: 1833 Rebuilt (Anthony Jones)
- £ 2390: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- £ 159: 1870 Chapel house (Anthony Jones)
- 450: 1851 ()
- 592: 1905 (RCCEORBWM)
- Chapel: 12/11/1997 (Cadw)
- Chapel: 2010 (Site visit)
- Chapel: 8/12/2010 (Denominational website)
- Materials
- Stone
- Monument Type: CHAPEL
- Form: Building
- Style: Sub Classical
- Gallery: On three sides
- Plan: Long-wall entry
- Pulpit Position: Front wall
- Window Glazing: Large Pane
- Windows: Mixed
Key Details of this Chapel
Key Dates of this Chapel
Key People in this Chapel History
Costs during this Chapels History
Capacities during this Chapels History
Changes of Status its History
Key Characteristics of this Chapel
Images from Coflein
Map
- Grid Reference: SN62678541
- Address: BOW STREET, PEN-Y-GARN
2 thoughts on “CAPEL Y GARN (WELSH CALVINISTIC METHODIST;PEN-Y-GARN), BOW STREET, PEN-Y-GARN (PEN-Y-GARN, CAPEL MAWR; JEHOFAH-JIRE)”
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Hello
My great great grandparents were married in Kinnerton Chapel in Old Radnor on 21st May1850. I have been searching for information on the Chapel, so was pleased to find this website. I have now located it on Google Street View – looks like someone is ‘doing it up’ to live in: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.2612635,-3.1095337,3a,90y,232.95h,84.26t/data=!3m9!1e1!3m7!1s-8DWPORkq2RFVNXBLde_-g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!9m2!1b1!2i53?hl=en-GB
The marriage record of my ancestors Abraham Bounds and Elizabeth Williams is attached. I hope it is of interest.
All the best
Saira
Dear Sara
Thank you for the information. I am glad to hear that it was some help to you.
Good luck on your continued search
Christine